Your Life Over Mine (The Royal Romance)
by saverockandroll
Summary: Drake takes a bullet for Duchess India at the homecoming ball, only to awaken with no memory of her. Can they overcome all the odds and finally live Happily Ever After? / *Drake X MC*
1. Delicate

_"DRAKE!"_

India's world fell apart in an instant. All of the bricks that she had been building for the past few months, every redeeming moment, each glimpse of a potential Happy Ever After, crumbled before her eyes. The impact of the bullet sent Drake staggering back, crashing into India and sending them both down to the floor. He stared up at her as she cradled him desperately in her arms, struggling to catch his breath as the blood soaked his green dress shirt.

"You're okay, Drake. You're okay." India said as tears streamed down her face.

The commotion carried on around them, and in the corner of her eye India saw Bastien tackle the armed assassin to the floor. Security guards flooded into the ballroom, several of them crowding around King Liam. He struggled against their grasp as they began to pull him insistently toward an exit, looking back over his shoulder to see Drake bleeding on the marble floor. He called out for his best friend; he called out for the guards to help Drake and India, but his words seemed to disappear into the air. The guards protectively pushed Liam's head down as they ushered him out of the ballroom, refusing to let him turn back and risk his life for his friends.

India fumbled with the lapels of Drake's jacket, feeling around his bloodied torso to try and spot where the bullet had hit. Her hands quickly became covered in thick, red blood as she forced pressure down onto his chest in a frantic attempt to stop the bleeding.

"Waters..." Drake coughed as he spoke. He reached out and placed a gentle hand on India's cheek, guiding her toward him until their faces were only inches apart.

"I love you, Waters." He said, struggling to hold back tears.

"Don't do that, Drake. Don't give me the goodbye speech." India replied through quiet sobs. She held his hand in her own as paramedics and security began to surround them.

"We should have just stayed in your room, huh?" Drake smirked. The thought made India cry even harder. It was only an hour earlier that they lay, naked and entwined in each other's bodies, in India's bedroom. She had felt like she was dreaming - finally being able to call Drake her boyfriend, finally being able to touch him in all the ways she had been thinking about for months, before being jolted harshly back into reality.

Paramedics moved Drake swiftly yet carefully onto a stretcher, removing his blood-soaked shirt and jacket whilst keeping pressure on his bullet wound. India's hand remained locked with Drake's as she stood, walking in step with the paramedics as they wheeled Drake's stretcher outside and toward a waiting ambulance.

"You need to come with me, India." Bastien's voice took her by surprise, although she barely seemed to acknowledge him.

"Duchess India, you're not safe here. You need to come with me." He insisted as he reached out to gently grasp her arm. India immediately pulled away from his touch, her hands reaching up to her already bloodstained face in a vain effort to wipe away her tears.

"Drake just jumped in front of a bullet for me. If you really think I'm going to leave him to go and hide away in my room, then you're crazy." She said, picking up the skirt of her gold and ivory ballgown and running back toward the ambulance. As soon as she jumped up through the large metal doors they swung closed and the sirens began blaring into the night.

The paramedics had already begun working on Drake as the ambulance took off, speeding toward the Cordonian Royal Infirmary. India watched in a shocked silence as they administered pain relief and controlled the bleeding that continued to pour from his wounded chest.

"India?" Drake asked drowsily. In a second she was up and by his side, planting a gentle kiss on his forehead to show her presence.

"I'm here, Drake." She whispered. "I love you."

He smiled as the words left her mouth.

"If I live through this, I wanna' marry you, India." He replied drowsily.

"I'll marry you any day." India squeezed his hand in her own, smiling through her tears.

Drake grinned, and for a moment he stared up at India with total clarity, taking in the vision of the woman he had fallen so deeply in love with. If he died in that moment, he thought, then dying to save the life of the most amazing woman in the world would be more than worth it. He leaned upwards to plant a kiss on her tear-stained lips, before sinking back onto the bed and falling out of consciousness.

* * *

King Liam slowly entered the hospital room. He was instantly taken aback at the sight of Drake, lying unconscious and surrounded by machines, with several tubes inserted into different parts of his body. It had been hours before the King's Guard would let Liam out of the palace's panic room, insisting that they sweep the whole palace and grounds for more assassins before he would be allowed to visit Drake. Even when given the all-clear, he travelled to the infirmary in a black SUV with 6 bodyguards, and two more cars full of guards in tow. The door of the private room closed gently behind him, with 4 of his guards behind it to ensure no one else would enter. The only other person in the room was India, sleeping gently in the chair next to Drake's bed, her hand locked with his.

Liam studied them for a moment and felt tears stinging at the back of his eyes. They were his best friends, and any sign of sadness or jealousy that arose from not being with India was immediately replaced with happiness that they had found love in each other. The sight broke his heart. India, sleeping at his bedside in her bloodstained ball gown, refusing to let go of Drake's hand even when she succumbed to her exhaustion; and Drake, his life hanging in the balance mere days after winning the girl of his dreams.

India stirred as Liam approached, and he gently took a seat in the chair next to her.

"Any updates?" Liam asked when he was sure that India was awake.

"It's not good, but he's stable." India replied, turning to glance at Liam, her eyes still red from crying. "He would've died if they hadn't gotten him into surgery so quickly."

"I'm so sorry that all of this happened, India." Liam hung his head as he spoke.

"It's not your fault. I just... I just thought that we were done with all of this." India said, fresh tears gathering at the corners of her eyes, "I thought that now I'd cleared my name and we'd all come back to Cordonia, that we could all be happy." She turned to look at Drake and sighed.

"We will be." Liam placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We're going to find out who did this, and we're not going to let them get away with it. I promise." He said.

"What happens then? We wait for the next load of assassins to turn up and shoot someone else?"

Liam paused, trying to think of the appropriate words to say, but he couldn't. He knew that any rational argument was pointless to someone in India's position.

"I just don't know if I can live like this, Liam. In constant fear of losing him, or any one of you." India said after a few moments.

"You're not going to lose him. Do you know how I know that?" Liam asked.

India shook her head silently, her eyes fixated on Drake. Liam paused for a moment and chose his words carefully.

"You've taught me so much about love, India. About true love. When I first met you all those months ago, back in New York, I wasn't sure it existed. And then as I fell for you I started to believe in it, little by little. When I proposed to you and you turned me down, my faith was shaken again. I thought maybe there were just some of us who weren't meant to find true love, but seeing you with Drake changed all of that. It only takes a couple of minutes of seeing you two together to know you're completely meant for each other, and anyone with half a brain can tell he's head over heels for you." The King and Duchess sat in silence for a moment, watching Drake's chest rise and fall in a slow rhythm. "My point is that there's absolutely no way he'd give up now, not now he's seen how his life could be, with you by his side."

India smiled briefly, resting her head on Liam's shoulder.

"He told me that he wanted to marry me, in the ambulance." She said quietly. "I think part of it was just the morphine, but when he said those words to me it was like our whole future flashed before my eyes. A relationship, a marriage... maybe even kids someday. A couple of cousins for Bartie to play with. I've never felt so desperate for anything in my life."

"You're going to have all that, and more." Liam said, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "Trust me, we're going to have a royal engagement on our hands soon. One that won't get called off." They both laughed, and India allowed herself to feel something other than grief for a small moment. She leaned forward in her chair and carefully held Drake's hand in both of hers, tracing her fingers along the bones of his hands before planting a gentle kiss on his skin.

"Thank you for saving my life, Drake." She whispered to him. "Now please, just come back to me."


	2. Remembering

Drake's friends and family sat around his bed in total silence. The doctor's words rang in their ears like a bomb that had just exploded. _Bleeding in the brain_ , he said.

"What does that mean for him?" Bertrand asked after a few tense moments.

"It's possible that some brain damage has occurred, but I'm afraid we won't know the extent of it until he wakes up." The doctor replied. He checked Drake's vital signs before politely excusing himself from the hospital room.

The group sat quietly in a U-shape around Drake's bed. India and Savannah sat either side of Drake, both of them clutching one of his hands in their own. India had not left the hospital once in the five days since the attack; as a duchess she had been allowed to use the staff's private bathrooms and cafeteria, and Hana brought her fresh clothes from the palace every day. King Liam visited whenever he could, but his royal duties kept him from the hospital most days. Instead he used any free time he had between meetings and dinners, working with the palace's security in an effort to get to the bottom of the attack. All but one of the assassins had died that night, with the lone survivor being the man that had shot Drake in his attempt to kill India. It took all of Liam's strength to stop himself from breaking into the assassin's prison cell and beating him bloody for all of the pain he had caused his friends.

"Brain damage? Like, permanent brain damage?" Savannah asked no-one in particular, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"You heard the doctor," Bertrand said, "they know as much as we do at this point."

"But, we'll all be here for him when he wakes up. He's going to be fine." Maxwell interjected in his best attempt to be reassuring. He discretely nudged Bertrand with his elbow, glancing intently over to Savannah and motioning for his brother to reach out and hold her hand. Bertrand slowly began to reach over, nervously locking eyes with Savannah as his fingers brushed her skin. He opened his mouth to speak, but before any words could escape his lips the room was filled with the sound of Bartie's crying.

"I'm sorry, I can't..." Savannah said. She quickly stood up and carried her son out of the room, and within seconds Bertrand was on his feet, running into the hallway after them.

"Wait!" Bertrand shouted desperately.

Savannah turned to face him, holding Bartie against her hip, tears spilling from her eyes.

"I love you, Savannah. I'm sorry that I made you feel like I didn't care for you, and I'm sorry that it took me this long to come out with it. I was scared to tell you because I thought maybe you didn't want me in your life. Maybe you didn't want me in our son's life. But seeing everything that Drake and India went through in order to be together, and seeing how easily it can all be put at risk..." Bertrand paused as if to stop his words from straying, "I just, I can't go any longer without you knowing how I feel. So if you want me in yours and Bartie's lives, I'm here for you, Savannah."

Bertrand exhaled and his whole body seemed to relax, as if a weight he had been carrying around for years had finally been lifted. Savannah rushed forward and pressed her lips to Bertrand's, holding their son between them as they lost themselves in the passionate embrace.

"I love you too, Bertrand." Savannah whispered when they finally parted, "Of course I want you to be part of our lives. I want Bartie to grow up knowing who his father is."

"He will, I promise you." Bertrand replied with a grin before kissing Savannah once more. He turned on his heel at the sound of his brother cheering behind them, smirking over at Maxwell instead of giving him his usual lecture. Maxwell and Hana hugged one another in the doorway of Drake's room, making no effort to hide the fact that they had been watching the whole time.

"Alright, show's over." Bertrand said, his cheeks burning bright red.

Maxwell and Hana giggled like school children as they made their way back into Drake's room.

"Now, I really do have to go." Savannah said as Bartie started to fuss again. "I'll call you later?"

"Please do." Bertrand said. The pair leaned in and gave each other a sweet goodbye kiss, before Savannah carried Bartie down the hallway and out of sight.

Bertrand walked back into Drake's room after a few moments to find Hana and Maxwell setting up a game of cards and begging India to join them. She reluctantly agreed and moved over to the table in the corner of the room, where Maxwell was dealing four hands. India tried to participate; she tried her best to laugh and smile and pretend as if their distractions were making her feel any better, but in the corner of her eye she could see Drake, pale and unconscious in his hospital bed. How could she enjoy herself when her boyfriend's life was in jeopardy? Every time she felt the hint of a smile at the edge of her lips, or the urge to laugh at one of her friend's jokes, she hated herself for feeling anything other than concern for Drake. She imagined him playing cards with them, nursing a glass of whiskey and making fun of Maxwell for being overly-protective of his cards. For a second she swore she could almost feel his warm embrace.

"India?" Maxwell asked, waving his hand in front of her face and snapping her back into reality. She wiped the tears away from her eyes before standing up out of her chair.

"I'm sorry guys, I just need to clear my head for a little while." India said quietly, "I'm gonna' go take a shower." She smiled weakly at her friends before picking up a change of clothes and a towel and making her way out of the room.  
Hana, Maxwell and Bertrand exchanged concerned looks as the door closed behind India. They each wanted to get up and go after her, to try and comfort her and explain that everything was going to be okay, but no matter how many times they tried they couldn't seem to find the right words. They were all hurting in their own ways, and all they could do was try to be there for each other.

After a while Maxwell and Bertrand said goodbye to Hana, who insisted on staying to keep India company, and returned to the palace for the evening. Hana moved over to sit in the chair next to Drake's bed and glanced down at the brown-haired man with a warm smile.

"She loves you so much." Hana said as she held Drake's hand in hers. "I fell for her too, and for a while I hoped she would choose me, but I think you're the only one who can truly make her happy." Hana leaned back in her chair, her hands still clasped around Drake's, and lost herself in thought. A quiet murmuring disrupted the peaceful silence, and it was only after a few seconds that Hana realised Drake was the one making the sound.

"Drake!" She screamed as she shot up in her seat.  
Drake's eyelids began to flutter open and closed, and it was clear that he was slowly regaining consciousness. Hana pressed the big green button next to Drake's bed, labelled _call doctor_ , before running to the door and yanking it open.

"Stay there, Drake! I'm going to go get India!" She said breathlessly before running out of the room. Halfway down the hall she narrowly missed running straight into King Liam, who caught her by the arms as she skidded to a halt.

"Hana? What is it?" He asked.

"Drake's waking up!" She said, before gently releasing herself from his grip and continuing her sprint down the hallway, "I've got to go tell India!"

King Liam ran into Drake's room, accompanied by several doctors and security guards, as Hana made her way to the private shower room on the other side of the hospital. Minutes later she burst into the changing room outside of the shower, shouting India's name desperately.

"India, Drake's waking up!" She shouted as she banged on the locked door that separated them. She heard India scream from inside the shower room, and seconds later the door swung open. A half-showered India emerged from the steamy room, wrapped in a small purple towel with dripping wet hair. India quickly squeezed out her long brown hair and threw on her clean clothes before following Hana out of the changing room. The two girls ran the length of the hospital together, refusing to stop for breath if it meant slowing themselves down for even a second. When they arrived back at Drake's room, King Liam was stood in the doorway with a nervous frown on his face.

"India, I think you might want to wait a while before you see him." Liam said. India grimaced, unable to comprehend why she might wait another second before seeing her boyfriend again.

"Really, India." Liam said firmly, catching India by her shoulders as she attempted to push past him. He sighed and hung his head. "He doesn't remember you. Either of you. The doctors think he has amnesia."

India stared up at Liam with a blank expression. It took a few moments for her to properly hear what Liam had just said, but as the words formed in her mind all she could do was laugh. She ducked under Liam's arms and ran to Drake's bedside.

"Drake?" She said as she approached him. He was lying, propped up by several pillows, in his bed. He looked pale and sickly, but he was awake, and that was all India cared about. Drake slowly turned his head toward India and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Yes?" He asked.

"I'm so glad you're awake, I missed you so much." India said tearfully. Drake's confusion was obvious as he smiled awkwardly at India.

"Drake, it's India. You remember India, don't you?" Liam asked as he walked back into the room.

Drake shook his head.

"You don't remember me?" India whispered, her mouth hanging open in shock.

Drake shook his head once again.

"We suspect that the bleeding in Drake's brain has caused retrograde amnesia." One of the doctors said.

The doctor carried on talking, but all India could hear was the ringing in her head. All she could do was stare at Drake. Could he really not remember her? Even the thought of it was too much to bear. Drake glanced up at her from the corner of his eye, before awkwardly looking away as they made eye contact. The ringing in India's head got louder, and her breathing became shallow and ragged. She ran out into the hallway and slid down against the wall, sobbing into her hands, before slowly falling out of consciousness.


	3. Dreams

India stood in front of a floor-length mirror, gazing in awe at the sight of herself in her wedding dress. Of all the designer dresses and ball gowns she had worn over the last year, none of them seemed to come close to her simple white gown. She ran her fingers gently along the sparkling jewels that wrapped in a line around her waist, before letting her hands wander down to the airy skirt that flowed down to the floor.

 _I can't believe I'm getting married today,_ she thought to herself.

After a few moments, her thoughts were interrupted by a gentle knock at the door. She turned and walked to the other side of her room, opening her bedroom door to find Maxwell and Bertrand grinning at her.

"Are you ready?" Maxwell beamed, walking into the room and sweeping India into a hug.

After a sincere embrace they parted and Maxwell took a step back, holding India gently by the hand and gazing her up and down.

"You look absolutely incredible." Maxwell said with a tear in his eye. "Drake is such a lucky guy." He said, his voice breaking as he spoke.

"Oh, pull yourself together, Maxwell." Bertrand stepped in front of Maxwell, waving his hand dismissively as he spoke. "But... you do look incredible, India." Bertrand said, suppressing a smile. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and gazed at her lovingly, like a proud father on his daughter's wedding day.

"I actually had something I wanted to ask you, Bertrand." India said, shooting a knowing look at Maxwell from the corner of her eye.

"What is it?" Bertrand replied.

"Well, I know we got off to a bit of a rocky start, but over the last year I've come to think of you as a sort of father figure."

"I'm _certainly_ not old enough to be your father." Bertrand scoffed.

"Just listen," India laughed, "I've come to think of you as a very _young_ father figure and, well, if my own father can't walk me down the aisle today, I can't think of anyone I'd rather have by my side than you. So Bertrand, will you walk me down the aisle?"

Bertrand sniffed as he used his handkerchief to wipe away his tears.

"Oh, pull yourself together, Bertrand." Maxwell grinned as tears welled up in his own eyes.

"It would be my absolute honour." Bertrand said, pulling India into a tight hug.

Maxwell rushed forward and wrapped his arms around the two of them, resting his head on his brother's shoulder and blinking away the tears. They stood for a few moments, silently embracing one another and thinking about how far they had all come since they met. It seemed almost too good to be true.

Bertrand glanced up at the ornate clock hanging next to the fireplace, and gasped as he saw the time.

"It's nearly twelve o'clock!" He said frantically. "You will not be late for your wedding, not on my watch."

Bertrand took a step back and opened the large wooden door, gesturing for India and Maxwell to hurry out of the room. The trio walked quickly down the hallway and navigated the intricate maze that was the royal palace. Eventually they made their way into the gardens, and India spotted the large, elegant gazebo that would hold her and Drake's wedding reception in just a few short hours. They were met on their way to the gazebo by Hana, who looked stunning in her sea green bridesmaid's dress. The four of them walked inside the gazebo, where they could see all of the guests sat either side of a long white carpet, that led to a beautiful arch made from an assortment of pastel coloured flowers. India's heart caught in her throat as she spotted Drake at the end of the aisle, glancing around nervously as he allowed King Liam to fix his tie.

"I'll see you up there, India. You're gonna be amazing." Maxwell said as he squeezed India's hand reassuringly and kissed her cheek, before running off to join Drake and Liam at the altar. The three men hugged and laughed before Drake turned to face the altar, bowing his head as he prepared to marry the love of his life.

"Good luck, India." Hana said as the two girls exchanged a quick but heartfelt hug, before Hana moved forward to stand behind the other bridesmaids.

"Are you ready?" Bertrand asked, holding his arm out for India to take.

She glanced up at him with teary eyes, doing her best not to spoil her eye make-up, and nodded.

"I've never been more ready for anything." She said as she took his arm.

A string quartet began playing an elegant and uplifting chorus, and the small crowd of guests stood in unison. First Olivia made her way down the aisle - India had decided to make her a bridesmaid despite Drake's protests - followed by Savannah, and then Hana. The three women stood together on the left side of the altar in their identical green dresses, and then it was India's turn to walk down the aisle.

She clung to Bertrand's arm as they began walking out of the gazebo and into the sunlight, and suddenly all eyes were on her. India's eyes were locked on Drake, who slowly turned around as she made her way toward the altar and met her gaze. His jaw dropped in awe as he took in the sight of his fiancée. He didn't think that she could be any more beautiful than she already was; but as he saw her flowing white dress, her brown curls weaved into an intricate braid and the enormous smile on her face, he fell in love with India all over again.

India and Drake embraced quickly as she reached the altar, before moving to stand opposite each other in front of the flowery arch. Bertrand kissed India sweetly on the cheek and shook Drake's hand with a genuine smile, then moved to stand behind Liam and Maxwell.

"Dear friends and family, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Drake and India in marriage. With love and commitment, they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife."

The minister continued to read aloud the traditional wedding script, and after a few short minutes it was time for India and Drake to say their vows.

"It's my understanding that the couple has written their own vows, so they will recite them now." The minister said, gesturing for Drake to go first. He took a deep breath before gently taking India's hands and gazing into her eyes. It was as if everyone else disappeared as he spoke.

"Waters... I don't think I'll ever really be able to express how I feel about you. Falling in love with you over the last year has been the most incredible experience of my life, and never in a thousand years did I think I would be stood here marrying the literal girl of my dreams. Even back when I met you I thought you were too good for me, but somehow you fell in love with me too, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life trying to be worthy of you. I'd do anything for you; I'd take a bullet for you, I'd go to the ends of the earth for you. I love you, Waters. I can't believe I get to call you my wife."

India gently dabbed at her tear stained cheeks, trying to regain her composure to say her vows to Drake. She grinned at him and cleared her throat.

"When we first met, we didn't get along at all." Several guests chuckled as India spoke, "We weren't in love, but I think that's the beautiful thing about our relationship. Even when I thought you hated me you were still there for me, and slowly I realised I wanted to be around you more and more. I started to get butterflies when you walked into a room, and I started hoping I'd run into you just so we could talk. And then we fell in love. At first I could only steal little moments with you, and part of me thought that we might never get to be together - but here we are. I love you so much, Drake. I feel so lucky to have you."

Drake tried his best to hold back the tears that were gathering in his eyes, but after a few seconds he gave up. He squeezed India's hands tighter as he let the tears roll down his face.

"May I have the rings?" The minister asked as he gestured toward King Liam. Liam stepped forward, smiling from ear to ear as he handed the rings over to Drake and India. He leaned in for a quick hug from each of them before returning to his place with the other groomsmen.

"Now, would you please place the rings upon each other's fingers?"

The couple did as they were told, gently sliding their platinum wedding rings onto each other's ring fingers.

"And with that, by the power vested in me, it is my absolute pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride!"

Drake immediately stepped forward and wrapped his arms around India, dipping her into a low kiss as the guests around them cheered. Her hands found their way up to his cheeks as she lost herself in the embrace. Eventually they stood and faced their guests, and Drake punched his hand into the air in triumph. They took each other's hands and made their way back down the aisle as husband and wife.

* * *

Hours later, as the wedding reception began to wind down, Hana hugged India from behind and rested her head lovingly on her best friend's shoulder.

"This has been such an _amazing_ day, you guys!"

"Hana, are you drunk?" Drake asked with an amused expression.

"I most certainly am not!" She replied.

Suddenly Maxwell appeared out of nowhere, moving Hana so he was stood between her and India and draping either arm around the two girls' shoulders.

"Hana most certainly _is_ drunk," Maxwell giggled as he spoke, holding his glass of champagne in the air, "and so am I, but this really has been the most amazing day. Cheers to the happy couple!"

The three of them raised their glasses in the air to meet Maxwell's, and were quickly joined in their toast by Liam, Bertrand and Olivia. India grinned as she looked around at the circle of her friends, and she felt tears welling in her eyes for what must have been the hundredth time that day.

"I just need you all to know that you mean so much to me. I can't believe that a year ago I was a broke New York waitress, and now I'm a duchess in Cordonia, with amazing friends and the husband of my dreams."

"Knowing you has been our honour, India. An honour that I intend to keep for a very long time." Bertrand said sincerely as he took a sip of his scotch.

Olivia rolled her eyes, but the corners of her lips curled into a smile - the redhead had come such a long way in the last twelve months, and India could tell that in a strange way they considered each other to be family.

"I guess the ceremony was pretty nice. Oh, and you have to tell me who made your cake, India. The decoration was to die for." Olivia said.

"I think that might be the most complimentative thing Olivia has ever said." Drake said, clearly stunned.

"Don't let this one get away, India. You won't find wit like that anywhere else." Olivia smirked as she began to retreat from the group. "I'm going to raid the open bar before they close it down." She said, turning on her heels and heading in the other direction.

"Oh, me too!" Maxwell grinned, grabbing Hana and Bertrand by their hands and tugging them along with him.

"Well, that's probably the last we'll see of Maxwell until he's recovered from his hangover in about three days time. Same goes for Bertrand, and probably Hana too." Liam laughed as he moved to stand in front of India and Drake. He smiled at the sight of the couple, her arm linked in his and her head resting gently on his arm, and raised his glass in his own personal toast.

"I know I did the whole best man's speech earlier, but I just want both of you to know how truly happy I am for you. Both of you are my best friends - you deserve to be incredibly happy, and I can tell that you will be." Liam smiled and leaned forward to kiss Drake on the forehead, before bowing to India and kissing the back of her hand.

"Thank you, Liam. It means so much." India said, smiling.

"Now get out of here, both of you. I think you have somewhere to be." A tipsy Liam said with a wink. Drake and India grinned at each other, before making their way discreetly out of the tent and across the palace grounds. It took minutes of walking before the music and chatter of the reception could no longer be heard, and once they were safely inside the palace the couple made their way to India's bedroom.

"So, are you going to have to start calling me Walker now?" India asked, grinning as she gently closed and locked her bedroom door.

Drake sat on the bed, looking up at India with a stunned expression.

"Oh my god, I didn't even think about that! You're India Walker now... that's weird."

India laughed as she walked across the room and sat down next to her husband.

"But a good weird, right?" She asked.

"Obviously good weird, Walker." Drake paused for a moment, as if deep in thought. "You know what, I don't think I can do it. I think I might just have to call you Waters forever."

"In this scenario we're together forever, right?" India asked.

"Of course."

"In that case, I guess I'll allow it." She chuckled. She leaned over and kissed Drake sweetly on the lips, her hands slowly starting to wander under his suit jacket, tracing along the curves of his muscles. Drake placed his hand on India's chin, gently lifting her head so they were looking right into each other's eyes.

"I love you, Waters." He said.

"I love you too."

Kissing her neck, Drake slowly began to unlace the back of India's wedding dress. After a few moments she stood, letting the dress fall to the floor and stepping out of it. Drake took in the sight of his wife in her wedding lingerie, taking her by the hands and pulling her forward until she was on top of him. They kissed as she started removing his clothes one by one, until they were both laying naked on the bed, desperate for each other. Time passed in a blur, their passionate moans disappearing into the night. When they were finished they lay entwined in each other's arms, giggling at each other as they caught their breath. Drake ran his fingers through India's hair as they settled down to sleep on their first night as husband and wife. All he could do was look at her, and to try and convince himself that he wasn't dreaming; that this woman really was his wife.

"Stop staring at me." India whispered, her eyes closed.

"Get used to it, this is your life now." Drake whispered back with a grin.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing."

"This could never be a bad thing." He said, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "You're the best thing there is, Waters."

She opened her eyes for a moment to kiss him on the lips, before allowing herself to fall into a deep sleep with her husband by her side.


	4. Twenty-Five

India woke to the sound of beeping machines, blinking a few times before she realised she was lying in her own hospital bed. She glanced to her side and saw Hana sat in one of the plush blue visitors' chairs, looking nervously at her. Her heart sank as she came to the realisation that the dream she had been so caught up in was just that - a dream. It was so vivid in her mind; the warm sun shining on her skin as she walked down the aisle, her friends' laughter as they danced with one another, and Drake's soft skin against hers in the dead of night. She would do absolutely anything for that dream to become reality.

"Are you okay?" Hana asked. India sat in a trance-like state, a single tear rolling down her cheek. It was clear that India was anything but okay, but all Hana could do was be there for her best friend.

"I dreamt that Drake and I got married." India sighed defeatedly.

"Oh, India..." Hana leant forward and gently took India's hand in hers.

"Does he really not remember me?"

"He doesn't remember anything that happened over the past year. He didn't even know about Bartie until Savannah showed up with him."

"Oh my God." India put her head into her hands as she spoke, "I'm being so selfish, aren't I? This is happening to all of us and all I can do is feel sorry for myself."

"You're not being selfish, India. This is a horrible situation, and you have every right to be upset about it."

"I don't know how much more of this I can take, Hana. All I've done over the past week is cry and wallow in self-pity, and that's not the kind of person I am. I don't want to be that person."

"You're the strongest, most resilient person I've ever met." Hana said with an encouraging smile, "This just shows how much you care about Drake, and your relationship isn't over - it's just being tested."

"I think Drake not having any clue who I am means that it's probably over." India sighed.

"Don't think like that, India! You and Drake are meant to be together, no matter what." Hana smiled reassuringly as she spoke. "And besides, I hope you don't think I've forgotten that it's your birthday tomorrow. We're going to make sure we celebrate in style."

Despite herself, India couldn't help but smile. She had all but forgotten about her birthday; turning twenty-five was the absolute last thing on her mind, but if anyone would have the time and energy to celebrate a birthday amidst all of the chaos, it would be Hana.

"Thank you, Hana." India said, leaning over to give her best friend a hug. She wondered how Hana could possibly manage to stay so positive when everyone around her was so miserable, but either way she was just grateful to have such a supportive best friend. "Now, I really need to get myself out of this hospital bed."

Hana stayed with India while a young doctor checked her over, despite her protests that she was fine, before giving her the all-clear to leave the hospital. As they made their way toward the exit they passed Drake's room, and India peered through the small square window in the door and saw Drake, bouncing Bartie happily in his arms. He was still bandaged and bruised, but his cheeks were full of colour and his face full of life, and that was all India cared about. She smiled at the sight of Drake cradling his newphew, and felt peaceful for the smallest of moments. The girls carried on through the maze of doors and hallways that was the Cordonian Royal Infirmary, before hopping into a waiting black Mercedes that escorted them through the picturesque countryside and to the palace.

"I think you should get some rest." Hana said, placing a reassuring hand on India's shoulder as they reached the top of the palace's grand staircase.

"Thanks for being here for me, Hana. I really appreciate it." India smiled.

The two exchanged a long, sincere hug before India walked down the hall and to her bedroom door. The intricate gold handle was cold in her hand as she turned it, and she immediately felt someone's presence in her room as the door swung open.

"Happy Birthday!" Maxwell chimed as soon as India stepped through the doorway. The younger Beaumont brother stood in the middle of the room, holding several multicoloured balloons and an elegant bouquet of flowers. India rushed over and wrapped him up in a hug before taking a step back and glancing down at her wristwatch.

"Three minutes past midnight, that's impressive." She looked up at him with a grateful smile, "Thank you, Maxwell."

"Congratulations on officially turning twenty-five." He said as he handed India the flowers. "Liam was waiting up with me, but he drank some of the champagne we bought for you and then fell asleep."

India laughed at the thought of a tipsy King Liam, bouncing excitedly off the walls before passing out on the ivory carpet.

"I just wanted to say happy birthday, and I hope you can still enjoy it after everything that's happened this week." Maxwell said.

India carefully placed the flowers on top of her antique dresser and moved the balloons to the corner of the room.

"Thank you so much, it really means a lot." She smiled. "How are you doing? I know I'm not the only one who's had a rough time this week."

"It's been difficult for all of us. But don't worry about me, I can handle it." Maxwell said with a child-like grin.

"Maxwell, are you drunk?" India laughed in disbelief.

"It's possible that Liam wasn't drinking the champagne alone." Maxwell giggled conspiratorially, "Besides, Beaumonts don't get drunk, India. They just get jolly."

"Okay, let's get the jolly Beaumont back to his quarters." She wrapped an arm around Maxwell and began to walk in sync with him toward the door.

"But it's barely midnight!" He protested as India opened her bedroom door once again.

"Oh, Maxwell. You party animal." She smirked. Maxwell stepped outside of the room and turned on the spot to face India.

"Thank you for the gifts." She said as she leant, arms folded, against the door frame.

"No, thank _you._ "

"For what?" India raised an eyebrow at Maxwell.

He looked longingly into her eyes for a brief moment, before slowly leaning forward as his eyes fluttered closed. Their lips were just about to touch when India took an instinctive step back and pushed her door closed.

"What was that, Maxwell?" She said to him through the door, her heart racing.

"I'm sorry, India. I just... I just like you so much. It's been a really rough week..."

"I know, but that doesn't mean you can come on to me like that! I'm still Drake's girlfriend, or at least I think I am."

"Even though he doesn't remember you?"

India yanked the door open and glared furiously at Maxwell.

"I think you should go back to your room now."

"I didn't mean to say it like that." Maxwell protested, his cheeks turning red with embarrassment. He opened his mouth to speak once again, but was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming down the hall.

"Happy Birthday, India!" King Liam said breathlessly as soon as he was within earshot. His smile faltered as he approached his friends and felt the awkward tension between them.

"Thanks, Liam." India said with a forced smile, "Do you think you could help Maxwell back to his room? He's had one too many drinks tonight."

"Is everything alright between you two?" Liam asked, glancing at Maxwell from the corner of his eye.

"It's fine. I think we'd better let India get some rest, though." Maxwell linked arms with Liam and began to walk abruptly down the hall away from India's room.

"I'll see you tomorrow India!" Liam shouted over his shoulder just as India closed her bedroom door. The two men walked arm in arm down the hallway toward their rooms.

"So what am I missing here?" Liam asked after a brief silence.

"It's nothing, I just did something stupid."

"Did you kiss India?"

Maxwell shook his head no. "She pulled away."

Liam glanced over at Maxwell with a disappointed frown.

"You shouldn't have done that, Maxwell." Liam stopped himself from saying anything further. He thought of all the times he had longed to kiss India, all of the times they had been alone together and he had refused to act on his feelings. In the back of his mind he had always known that India and Drake should be together, and he couldn't let himself get in the way of their love.

"I'm sorry, Liam." Maxwell said defeatedly. "Everything is so messed up right now, I just had a moment of weakness."

"It's okay. We have to support each other through times like these, besides, you know Drake would probably sucker punch you if he knew that you made a move on India." Liam smirked.

"The old Drake would have." Maxwell looked at Liam with a tired expression. "Drake loves India so much, he literally got shot in the chest for her. Who is he if he doesn't remember her?"

"He's still Drake, he's just... lost. The doctor said there's a chance that he could get his memory back, and we have to be there to support him no matter what happens."

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see." Maxwell said as they stopped outside his room. "I really am sorry, Liam. I know you have feelings for India too."

Liam placed a reassuring hand on Maxwell's shoulder. He knew he couldn't bring himself to be mad at his friend even if he tried.

"Consider it forgotten. Now go and sleep off that champagne."

Maxwell smiled gratefully at Liam and retreated inside his room, gently pushing the door closed after him and leaving Liam alone with his thoughts. The King walked to the window on the opposite side of the corridor and looked out over the seemingly never-ending palace grounds. After a few moments he let out a heavy sigh that he felt as though he'd been holding in forever; he felt as though the world had been swallowed up by a black hole, and he wondered if he or any of his friends would be able to regain their happiness. He thought of his country, and how everyone was looking to him for guidance, especially now. He wondered if he was fit to be a King after all. So many questions raced through his mind, none of which he could answer.

"What a mess." Liam whispered to himself, taking one last moment to take in the sight of the grand palace from the window, before reluctantly making his way back to his quarters.

* * *

Hours later, India stood in front of her bedroom mirror, staring intently at her reflection before turning to frown at Hana.

"How do I know what to wear if you won't even tell me where we're going?" India said.

"I'm under strict instructions to keep it a secret." Hana smiled mischievously, prompting India to grab a small, pink cushion from her bed and throw it playfully at her friend.

"You're loving this way too much." India smirked at Hana.

"Never mind what I think, you need to hurry up and pick an outfit or you're going to be late!"

India turned back to the mirror and smoothed down the skirt of the salmon pink dress that she had picked from her wardrobe, before frowning and running to the other side of the room to change yet again. She pulled open the doors to her wardrobe and began flipping intently through the racks of expensive designer clothes.

"A-ha!" India exclaimed as she pulled a stunning white sundress from the rack. Ducking behind a screen she quickly changed out of her salmon dress and into the lacy white number.

"That's perfect." Hana smiled as India stepped out from behind the screen. "Now come on, let's go see your birthday surprise!"

The two girls sat in the back of a luxury town car as it sped through the rolling hills and scenery of the Cordonian countryside. India nervously clutched the small brown bag that sat on her lap, while staring out the window and wondering where they might be going. As they made their way further and further away from the palace, India suddenly realised that she knew exactly where they were headed. The route that they were taking was all too familiar, and as the town car made the right turn that led them toward the Cordonian Royal Infirmary her suspicions were confirmed.

"Hana, why are we at the hospital?" India asked as the car rolled to a stop outside the main entrance. She could feel her heart beginning to beat faster, knowing that there was only one reason why they would be going to the hospital on her birthday. Hana smiled at India and, without a word, stepped out of the car and walked toward the main doors. India sighed nervously and ran after her friend.

"We're here to see Drake, aren't we?" India said as she caught up to Hana.

" _You're_ here to see Drake." Hana corrected her.  
They walked in silence through a maze of halls until they reached a door that led into one of the many break rooms in the hospital. India recognised it immediately; she had eaten most of her meals there during the days that she spent waiting for Drake to wake up after the attack.

"Alright, I'll see you in a little while." Hana said, pulling India in for a quick hug.

"I don't like this new sneaky Hana."

"We all love you, India." Hana smiled, "Now get in there and enjoy your birthday surprise."

Hana began to walk back the way that they had come, leaving India alone outside the break room. She took a deep breath before opening the door and stepping inside the room.

Drake smiled as she entered. He was sat in a wheelchair that held an IV stand on its back, delivering fluids and medicines to him through several tubes inserted into his body. The room was colourfully decorated with a few banners, balloons and bouquets of flowers, and in the middle of the room was a small table that held a vase of flowers, champagne and two plates of food.

"Happy birthday." Drake said as India walked slowly to the center of the room.

"Did you do all of this for me?" India said with an enormous grin.

"Well, I couldn't really put up many of the decorations myself," Drake smirked, "but I know you probably wanted an opportunity to talk about everything that's happened, might as well celebrate your birthday while we're at it."

"Thank you, Drake."

"You're welcome." He smiled.

India moved to sit in the empty seat opposite Drake, feeling instantly at ease in his presence. It was a strange feeling, being so comfortable in his company - as if nothing bad had ever happened - but knowing in the back of her mind that she was just an accquaintance to him. The only things he knew about her were the things he had been told by other people; that she was his girlfriend and that he loved her more than anything in the world, but India knew that he didn't feel those things anymore. Maybe they were still there in the back of his mind, but they were lost, maybe forever.

"I just wanted to say how sorry I am about everything." Drake said as an awkward silence loomed between them.

"You jumped in front of a bullet for me, Drake. You can't help what happened afterwards, but I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you."

"I'm glad I did it. I know that there's been a lot of heartache since, but I'm just glad that no one died in the attack."

India nodded as she took a sip from a champagne glass that sat on the table. She couldn't decide what would be worse; living with Drake having no memory of her, or dying during the attack. Sometimes it felt like she had gotten the worse deal.

"I've heard so much about you since I woke up." Drake said. "Everyone talks about you like you're some kind of Goddess."

"I just have really great friends, but I guess I don't need to tell you that." India laughed. "I know how much Liam and Maxwell care about you."

Drake nodded with a familiar smile.

"It was nice to have them there, when everything else was so confusing." He said, his brow furrowed.

"I can't imagine what you've been through." India said with a sympathetic frown.

"I think it's been tough on all of us." Drake said.

He looked up at India, seemingly studying her face for a few moments. She swore if he just looked a little bit longer, or a little bit harder, he would suddenly remember her.

"I've been having dreams about you." Drake said as he took a sip of water.

"Really? You have?" India said, suddenly sitting up straight, her attention caught by Drake's words.

"Yeah. When I'm dreaming I feel like I know you, and then when I wake up it's like seeing the face of someone I know, but can't quite remember. Last night I dreamt that we were in Bertrand Beaumont's study together, and we were looking for something. I can't remember what it was, but I'm pretty sure we found it. And then we..." Drake rubbed the back of his neck, bashfully looking away from India, "and then we made out, and Maxwell caught us."

India nearly spat out her drink as she listened to Drake's story.

"Drake, that happened!" She exclaimed.

"What?"

"We _did_ go to Bertrand's study together, and we found an envelope full of cash on his desk. You were dreaming a memory!" India stood up and paced back and forth, unable to contain her excitement at the possibility of Drake remembering their past.


	5. Drinking Games

"This is certainly encouraging." Doctor Richards said, leaning back in her chair. "And India, you say that everything that happened in this dream actually happened in real life?"

"All of it. Sneaking into the Beaumonts' study, uh... making out, being caught by Maxwell. It all happened."

The doctor nodded and stroked her chin thoughtfully.

"Drake, do you remember any of this?"

"It's difficult," Drake sighed, "It feels familiar because I dreamt it, but I don't think I remember it happening."

"That's okay, Drake. Amnesia is an extremely complicated condition, and everyone experiences it differently. But this is a great start."

"So you think I might get my memory back?" Drake looked hopeful as he spoke.

"We can't say for sure. However, I would recommend spending time with India. She seems to be a good trigger for your brain to recall these forgotten memories."

Drake and India exchanged an awkward glance.

"Well, we were just having lunch together." Drake said.

"Perfect!" Doctor Richards smiled as she leant back in her chair, "Drake, we have an appointment scheduled in a few days' time so I'll see you then, but for now go and enjoy your lunch." She gave them one last reassuring smile before turning back to the paperwork that sat on her desk.

India held the door open for Drake as he wheeled himself out of the room, and she quickly followed him through the door. The two made their way in silence back to the break room where they had been having lunch together.

"I'm sorry that I got all excited just now." India said awkwardly.

"It's alright, I know you're just looking out for me. Apparently you're a good 'trigger' for my memories." Drake smirked.

A silence fell over them. Drake never knew quite what to say to India; he knew that she was his girlfriend before the attack, and he was still attracted to her, but he couldn't pretend to remember their relationship. He couldn't pretend to feel the deep, emotional connection that she clearly felt for him. It was like walking up to a stranger on the street and trying to force yourself to fall in love with them on the spot. Impossible.

"Is it weird hanging around me now?" Drake asked India as she sat down. She looked up at him with a surprised expression; she was surprised that he was the one asking the personal questions. Nothing about their relationship had felt very personal since the attack.

"Yeah," She said truthfully, shifting awkwardly in her chair. "It's like... it's like someone kidnapped my boyfriend and left a decoy behind. Someone that looks exactly like my boyfriend but just... isn't."

She looked up to see Drake frowning uncomfortably, his brow furrowed, unsure of how to react to her words.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude or make you feel uncomfortable. That's just the most honest way I can describe how it feels."

"That's okay," Drake said in a quiet voice. "I guess I'm not the person I was a couple of weeks ago. But I'd really like to try and get to know you better."

India smirked. Her boyfriend, the man she hoped she would marry one day, wanted to get to know her better. She figured she should be grateful - at least he was still interested in knowing her. She had nightmares where Drake woke up from the attack and ended up falling in love with Olivia, or even sometimes Madeleine.

She smiled at him, genuinely and warmly.

"I'd really like that... and I have an idea that might help."

"What is it?" Drake asked, clearly intrigued.

"A drinking game! You make a statement about me, and if you're wrong you drink, but if you're right I drink. I would say that I could do the same for you but, let's be honest, that wouldn't be very fair given the circumstances. How about it?"

"'The circumstances' being that you know everything about me and I know almost nothing about you?" Drake laughed. It was the first time India had seen him genuinely laugh since the attack.

"Exactly. Come on, I've never known Drake Walker to turn down a drinking game." India shook her head disappointedly in an over-exaggerated manner.

"I'm pretty sure shooting survivors aren't supposed to drink in the hospital." He said, " _But,_ the nurse did say that I could have a few small sips of champagne with lunch. Whiskey is basically the same as champagne, right?"

"Right." She giggled.

Drake met her eyes with his, an amused smirk spread across his face. They held each other's gaze for a few small moments before Drake grabbed two glasses from a counter and began pouring out whiskey for each of them.

"Your name is India Waters, and you're from New York City." Drake said as he pushed one of the glasses across the table to India, and set the bottle of whiskey down between them. She took a drink.

"Correct. Bonus point, what do you call me?" India raised her eyebrow at Drake.

"What do I call you? Uh, sweetie?"

"You've called me Waters since we met. Never India, just Waters. Drink."

Drake begrudgingly drank a swig of his whiskey.

"Why do I call you Waters?" He asked.

"I actually never knew that, not for a long time. But not too long ago you got drunk and told me; you said, at first, it was because you didn't want to get close to me. You resented me as one of the ladies competing for Liam's hand. But then as we got closer you didn't want to admit to any romantic feelings, so you tried to distance yourself from me as much as possible."

"Why would I do that?"

"For Liam. He proposed to me, and I said no because I knew I was in love with you. I think you felt bad at the thought of potentially taking something away from him."

Drake nodded thoughtfully. He would never get used to being told about his own life, his own unfamiliar emotions, from someone else.

"So... you chose me. Over Liam, I mean." He said.

"Correct." India took a drink of whiskey.

"Would you still make the same choice now?" He stared down into his glass as he spoke. He felt strangely nervous to hear her answer.

"Yeah. When we became a couple I told you that I'd stand by you no matter what, and I meant it. As a girlfriend, or even just a friend, I'm here as long as you want me to be."

Drake nodded and smiled across the table at India. When he first woke up in the hospital Liam and Maxwell had told him all about her, and he wondered how anyone could be as amazing as they described, but now he understood.

"I appreciate that." He said, and then paused for a moment, "Do we have sex?"

India couldn't help but laugh, "That's a question, not a statement."

"Okay... we have sex." Drake's cheeks flushed red.

India drank once again.

"Only once, actually. We snuck away to my room during the homecoming ball. It was great, before you feel the need to ask." She chuckled.

"And you haven't dated anyone else from court?"

India took a sip from her glass and shook her head.

"I kissed Hana once as part of truth or dare, and, well... Maxwell did try to kiss me last night, but those are the only two things." India watched Drake carefully to see his reaction. His eyebrow furrowed in concentration, as if he was trying to decide how to feel. In the end he just nodded.

"Was he drunk?" He asked.

"Yeah. Liam told him that a few weeks ago you would've sucker punched him."  
"

I kind of feel like I should." Drake smirked, but his expression was serious. Even though he didn't consider India to be his girlfriend in the same way he did a week or two ago, he still felt hurt that one of his closest friends would try to kiss her.

"I'll warn him to stay clear of you for a few days." India said jokingly, "Anything else you want to know?"

"Did you ever love Liam?"

"I love Liam in the same way I love Hana and Maxwell. Like a best friend. In the beginning I thought that there could be something worth pursuing with Liam. But the more we got to know each other the more I fell for you, and soon that was all I cared about."

Drake nodded, his eyes fixed on India.

"And that time we were in Bertrand's study together, the time I dreamed about, was that our first kiss?" He asked.

"Technically not, but it's the first kiss we had that you could remember. Before the attack, that is."

"What do you mean?"

"We kissed the night we first met in New York, but you didn't remember it the next day, and I never brought it up again because I thought you didn't like me." She said, laughing nervously.

"So this is the first time I'm hearing about it?"

"Yep."

"Can you tell me what happened the night we met?" Drake asked. He knew that they met during Liam's bachelor party in New York, but other than that no one had told him anything about that night. India smiled at him and nodded.

"So, it was the day of Liam's bachelor party, and I was in my apartment getting ready to go to work..."


	6. The Night We Met

_Bzzzz._

India ignored her phone as the vibrations rattled the dresser beneath it. She ran around her bedroom in a panic, quickly throwing on her waitressing uniform that consisted of a white blouse, skinny black trousers and a red apron that she tied tightly around her waist.

 _Bzzzz._

She glared over at the phone before turning back to her mirror and attacking her messy brown hair with a comb. Her fingers were still stained red from where she had dip dyed the ends the night before, and after a while she had given up trying to scrub her hands clean. After a minute of frantic brushing her hair looked presentable enough that she dropped her comb down on the floor and began scanning the room for her bag.

 _Bzzzz._

"God, Daniel!" India said as she ran over to her phone, finally picking it up off the dresser.

"Hello?" She said breathlessly as she accepted the call.

"Earth to India, where are you? Your shift started five minutes ago!" Her co-worker Daniel sounded stressed as he spoke.

"I'm literally about to leave my apartment, I'll be there in ten minutes!" India wedged the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she picked up her bag and began stuffing her belongings inside.

"As long as you know that Evan is _pissed_."

Right on cue, India heard her boss shouting and swearing in the background. She couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yeah, but Evan's always pissed. See you soon!" India hung up and shoved her phone into the front pocket of her bag. She took one last look around her small New York apartment, patting down her bag and pockets to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything, before rushing out of the building and onto the bustling city street.

The sidewalk was packed with commuters on their way home from work, all weaving their way through the crowds, talking on cell phones and sipping their coffee. India ran the short distance between her apartment building and the restaurant where she worked; a small but modern place just short of the East River, with a great view of the Brooklyn Bridge. It would be a great place to work, she thought, if her boss weren't such an ass. She considered turning around and not bothering to show up at all - she even stopped on the sidewalk for a moment to think about it - but she knew that she needed the money more than she needed a day off, so she carried on until she reached the restaurant.

"Twelve minutes." Daniel tutted as India walked through the main doors, breezing past her with a tray of food in his hands.

She laughed and headed toward her locker in the back room, but her smile fell short when she saw Evan stood in the doorway, a thunderous frown on his face.

"I hope you know I'm docking two hours' pay." Evan said in a hushed tone, aware of the customers that were sat in earshot.

" _Two_ _hours_?! But I'm barely fifteen minutes late!" India protested as she walked into the back room with Evan in tow. He slammed the door behind him, leaving the two of them alone in the room.

"Well maybe that'll teach you some punctuality in future. Now, there's some garbage that needs taking out." He stood with his arms folded, smiling dismissively at India. She sighed, knowing that it was better to hold her tongue rather than lose more pay, and made her way outside to the dumpster.

The next few hours passed for India as they always did on a Saturday night; serving food to the nearly packed out restaurant, helping out on the bar when it got too busy, and dealing with drunk guys trying to get her number as the night went on. In the three years she had worked at the restaurant she had only ever taken one number from a customer - a tall, blond Brit named Aedan, who India had ended up moving in with for a year until he decided to go back to Scotland. She hoped that he might ask her to move with him, but he didn't, so they broke up and she stayed in New York.

"You ok, India?" Daniel asked, snapping her out of her daydream.

"Of course!" India smirked as the pair carried several trash bags out the back of the restaurant, "Just another glamorous New York Saturday night of hauling trash to the dumpster."

"It could be worse. There could be-" Daniel froze mid-sentence, his eyes growing wide in fear. " _Rats!_ India, help!"

"Don't tell me you're afraid of this adorable little mouse family. They're trying to get by, just like us..." India said, crouching down to get a better look at the inquisitive mice that peered back at her.

"India, Daniel!" Evan shouted as the back door slammed open. "Do I pay you to slack off out here?"

"You _told_ us to take out the garbage." India frowned as she spoke.

"And now I'm _telling_ you to wait on the bachelor party that just rolled in. Chop chop!" Evan clapped his hands in a condescending manner and ushered his two employees back inside the building.

India walked first into the almost empty dining room, and was immediately stopped by an attractive, European man in an expensive suit.

"Waitress, there you are! We need your best table."

"Forget the table. Just bring us whiskey, and lots of it." A second man interjected, his accent an unusual but intriguing mix of American and European. He was dressed a lot more casually than the first man, wearing dark jeans and an open blue shirt, but he was attractive - rugged, India thought.

She was just about to show them to their table when Daniel grabbed her by the shoulders, whisking her around and pulling her behind the bar with him.

"India, please take this one. I've got a date tonight, and I'll never make it out of here in time..."

"A _date_?" India's face lit up immediately, "Who's the lucky guy?"

Daniel rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at the edge of his lips as he pulled his phone from his pocket. After a few seconds of scrolling he turned his screen to face India, showing her a photo of a tall, dark firefighter with glistening muscles. Her mouth fell open in surprise.

" _Damn,_ Daniel! If he was my date I would've taken the whole night off to get ready."

"So you'll take the bachelor party?" Daniel's cheeks turned slightly red as he slid his phone back into his pocket.

"Of course. Bring on the hot guys!" India grinned.

"I want to hear all about this tomorrow."

"And _I_ want to hear all about Mr. Sexy Firefighter tomorrow. Now go and live happily ever after for the both of us."

"You're the best." Daniel kissed India's cheek before running off to finish his closing duties.

"Are you _still_ slacking off, India? I've seated the bachelor party already. Now, get over here before I dock your pay another two hours." Evan scowled as he walked past India and toward the bar.

India bit her tongue once again and walked over to the table where the three men were seated. She drew in a quick breath, channeling her most enthusiastic customer service face, and grinned down at them.

"Hello, gentlemen. I'll be taking care of you this evening."

"Waitress, steaks for the table." The third man said. He looked slightly younger than the other two, grinning up at India in a child-like manner.

"How about some filet mignon, medium rare and prepared with a bearnaise sauce?" The first man asked as he flipped disinterestedly through the menu.

"The closest thing we have to filet mignon is the deluxe burger," India replied.

"Dare I ask for your wine list?"

"We've got an excellent vintage house red..."

" _House red_?"

India couldn't help but chuckle at the man's bemused expression. It was evident that he was used to finer dining than she could offer.

"It also comes in white." She said.

"We'll be fine with a bottle of whiskey... and four deluxe burgers." The second man said with a smirk on his face.

"Four?" She asked, raising her brow at the three men in front of her.

The second man nodded behind her, and she turned to see an attractive, impeccably dressed fourth man smiling sweetly at her. Looking him up and down, she was sure that his suit was probably worth more than her entire apartment.

"Sorry I'm late. Thank you for your patience, Miss...?"

"Uh, India."

"Charmed to make your acquaintance, India. My name is Liam, and these are my friends." Liam gestured to the three men sat behind her one by one, "Tariq, Drake and Maxwell."

"Nice to meet you all," India said, turning to smile politely at each of the men, "I'll just go and put your order in. Be right back!" She smiled one last time before hurrying off to the kitchen.

A little while later, India stood cleaning glasses behind the bar when Drake approached cautiously.

"Any chance of another drink before we head out?" He smiled, clearly tipsy.

"The bar's actually closed..." India said apologetically.

"Oh, no problem." Drake turned on his heel and began walking back to his table.

"Wait!" She called after him. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed a clean glass and began pouring a double whiskey, "Here."

Drake sat down on one of the red, leather bar stools and smiled gratefully at India. "I just wanted to say thanks; I know we kept you late tonight, and I know that my friends - especially Tariq - can be demanding. They're not used to casual dining like this."

"I kind of figured when Tariq tried to order a filet mignon." She laughed.

"Yeah, he doesn't really know how to blend in. Anyway, let me buy you a drink to make up for it?" Drake rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he spoke.

"Bar's closed, remember?"

"Not here. We were gonna' head to a club after this, if you wanted to come along?"

India raised her eyebrow at Drake as he finished off his whiskey.

"Oh yeah, which one?"

"Well, we were kind of hoping you could help us with that. As you've probably guessed we're not from around here, so we don't really know where we're going."

"Ahh, I see. You want a tour guide." She smirked.

"No! Well, kinda. But I really do want to buy you a drink." Drake protested, becoming visibly flustered as he spoke.

"All right, all right," India laughed, "Let me finish up here, and I'll meet you guys out front."

Drake nodded, suppressing a smile, and headed back over to his friends. India quickly wiped down the rest of the bar before rushing out to the back room of the restaurant and tugging off her apron.

 _I am so ready to get out of this uniform,_ she thought to herself. She opened her locker and, just as she was about to stuff her apron inside, caught sight of an emerald green dress she had left there the week before. She and Daniel were supposed to go out after their shift one night, but Evan had kept them there cleaning for hours, and so the dress lay forgotten about at the back of India's locker.

"Perfect!" She grinned as she pulled the dress from her locker and ran into the bathroom to change. Minutes later she emerged, feeling fresh and surprisingly awake, and walked back out to the bar area.

"Your tip from the bachelor party." Evan said as she walked by him, nodding to a hundred dollar bill that sat on the counter.

"Seriously?" She asked in disbelief.

"Well, I sure as hell didn't leave it for you."

As much as she disliked Evan, she appreciated the fact that he always let his employees keep their tips. Even if he did dock her pay two hours for being fifteen minutes late.

"Thanks. Goodnight, Evan." India said, stuffing the hundred dollars into her bag and making her way to the exit.

As she stepped out into the crisp, cold air, the four men turned to look at her in unison.

"Wow." Drake said, looking India up and down, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Wow?" She replied with a smirk.

"I almost didn't recognise you."

"That uniform wasn't doing you justice." Tariq nodded in approval as he looked at her.

"Yeah, the waitress is _hot!_ " Maxwell giggled.

"Ahem." Liam glared at Maxwell, like a teacher telling off his student, "Her name is India, and I doubt she appreciates you talking about her like that."

"Right, sorry India." Maxwell said bashfully, "I meant to say you look lovely. Now, let's get this party going!" He pumped his fist in the air and took off walking down the sidewalk.

India laughed, then started walking in the opposite direction.

"Party's this way, Maxwell!" She called over her shoulder, and soon all five of them were walking to Kismet, Brooklyn's most popular nightclub.

As they approached the club India walked confidently past the long line of waiting people, striding right up to the bouncer and smiling sweetly at him. He looked at her for a moment, as if he was sizing her up, before breaking into a wide grin.

"India, baby! Where you been?" He said as he unhooked the red velvet rope that guarded the door.

"Working, as usual." She laughed, "These guys are with me, is that cool?"

"Of course, baby. See you later." The bouncer nodded respectfully at each of them as they made their way inside the club.

"So you're like, dating that guy?" Maxwell asked India as they walked through the club. Drake subtly leaned in close to hear her answer.

"No, but we go way back. He calls everyone baby."

"India, can I buy you a drink?" Liam asked courteously as Maxwell and Tariq ran off toward the dancefloor.

She glanced quickly over at Drake, her eyes meeting his for a small moment, before looking back to Liam.

"Of course. Drake, you coming?" She asked, a hopeful smile on her face.

"No, that's okay. I'll get you later." Drake smiled dejectedly before leaving the two alone and joining Maxwell and Tariq on the dancefloor.

"So, what'll the lady have?" Liam said as he and India sat down at the bar.

"Whiskey, neat." She said, smiling confidently.

"You don't mess around, do you?"

"Never."

Liam effortlessly commanded the attention of the barman, and their drinks were placed in front of them within seconds.

"Thank you for bringing us here. Looks like the guys are having fun already." Liam said, glancing over to his friends as he took a sip from his glass.

"My pleasure. You guys were surprisingly polite for a bachelor party." India chuckled, "Speaking of, which one of you is getting married?"

India looked at each of the four men, one by one. She could see them all being engaged, perhaps with the exception of Maxwell. He was too childish. Maybe Tariq had some beautiful foreign fiancée that was just as into filet mignon and pocket squares as he was. She hoped it wasn't Drake.

"It's actually me. Well, it's complicated." Liam said with a furrowed brow.

"Getting engaged isn't normally complicated."

"It is when you don't know who you're going to marry."

India finished off her whiskey in one swig and set the glass down carefully on the bar. She paused for a moment, eyebrow raised, considering Liam's words carefully.

"You're not just some average guy, are you?"

Liam sighed.

"The truth is, India... I'm the Crown Prince of Cordonia."

She nodded, seemingly unphased by Liam's revelation.

"I kind of had a feeling you were someone important."

"You did?"

"You've got a bunch of fancy guys at your bachelor party who tried to order filet mignon at a bar. Something told me you weren't visiting from Jersey."

"I guess that's fair. It doesn't bother you?"

"You all seem like nice, decent guys... that's what's important to me. Not where you come from, or how much money you have."

Liam gazed into India's eyes for a moment and smiled at her sincerely. He was so unused to hearing people talk the way she did; prioritising the things that actually mattered in life, like manners and decency, rather than money and status. The only one that could really understand was Drake, being the only person Liam knew that didn't come from nobility. Everyone else seemed so comfortable to live in ignorance of the real world.

"Thank you, India. I'm really glad I got to meet you, even if only for tonight. Tomorrow we head back to Cordonia for the start of the social season."

"But it's not tomorrow yet." She said with a mischievous smile.

"What are you suggesting?"

"I have a friend who works on one of the ferries going to the Statue of Liberty. How about a late night cruise?"

Liam grinned at the idea, and downed the rest of his drink eagerly. It was the most excited he had felt in years.

"Let's do it!" He said as he stood up from his chair and ran over to the dancefloor to get his friends.

An hour later the five of them stood together, gazing out at the water from the deck of a ferry. They passed around a flask of vodka and laughed together in the dim light that shone out through the windows.

"This is so cool, India! You're like, the best tour guide ever." Maxwell said excitedly.

"Ooh, look over there! You can see the statue! Come on, guys!" He grabbed Liam by the hand and pulled him through the boat and to the upper deck. Tariq followed them instinctively, leaving Drake and India alone on the deck.

"I would say I'd buy you that drink now, but there's no bar here... and I'm pretty sure Tariq finished off what was in that flask." Drake said as he leant forward, arms resting on the railing.

"I think I have a way around that." India smirked. She leant down and lifted the skirt of her dress a couple of inches. Drake found it hard to look away as he caught a glimpse of her black suspenders, but he forced himself to turn his gaze to the harbour. Tucked into the top of India's stocking was a small flask, which she pulled out and balanced carefully on the railing next to Drake.

"You can pay me back another time." She said.

Drake looked her up and down, failing to suppress the stunned look on his face.

"I'm so impressed by you, you know that?" Drake said, his voice almost a whisper. There was an undeniable look of longing in his eyes as she smiled up at him.

"You're also drunk." India laughed, watching Drake take a drink from her flask, before taking it from him and doing the same.

"Yeah, well... liquid courage and all that. No way I'd be able to talk to you like this if I were sober."

"Why not?"

"Come on." Drake laughed in disbelief, "It's like I dreamed you up or something. You're down-to-earth, you're the only girl I've ever met who drinks whiskey by choice, you're hot as hell... you keep a damn flask in your stocking for God's sakes." He was glad she couldn't see him blushing in the dark.

"I think you're the first person who's been quite so impressed by me." She said after a moment.

"I don't believe that for a second. I can't believe you're single... wait, are you single?" Drake asked, a look of worry suddenly crossing his face. India laughed.

"Yeah, I'm single."

"Good." He smiled with relief.

"Why good?"

"Because I'm going back to Cordonia tomorrow, and I don't think I'd be able to forgive myself if I left here without kissing you."

As soon as the words left his mouth they leant toward each other instinctively, their lips only inches apart.

"Kiss me then." She whispered.

He didn't need telling twice; he immediately closed the gap between them, his lips meeting hers in a fiery and passionate embrace. India reached her arms up and wrapped them around his neck, shivering at his touch as he slid his hands around her waist. Both of them knew that this would be their first and only meeting, and both of them refused to be the one to break the kiss. Their hands had just started to wander further down each other's bodies when they heard voices approaching.

"Drake? India?" Liam called out, his voice growing nearer as he spoke. The two quickly took a step back from each other and leant casually against the railing.

"We're here." Drake said, "India was just sharing her flask with me, seeing as Tariq polished off all the vodka."

" _My_ vodka," Tariq said defensively.

"Don't you want to see the statue, Drake? India?" Maxwell frowned.

"We can literally see it from here. Besides, I'm sure India's seen it a thousand times." Drake said.

India smiled sympathetically at Maxwell. "We should really be getting back now. But I'm really glad you all came out here with me. It's been a fun night."

"Thank you, India. We're all incredibly grateful to have met you tonight." Liam said to assent from the others. India and Drake exchanged a quick glance that seemed to go unnoticed.

After taking one last look at the Statue of Liberty, the group headed inside and settled in as the ferry took them back to land.


	7. Introducing, Duchess India Waters

King Liam sat, stone-faced and unmoving, across from the man who had tried to kill him and his friends only two weeks earlier. He couldn't believe that a mere fourteen days had passed since the attack on the palace. It felt as though time stood still, and the raw anger still burned within him. One of Liam's King's Guard stood in each of the room's four corners, watching the situation unfold before them.

"So, you refuse to talk to any of our agents. Are you prepared to talk to me?" Liam asked inquisitively, leaning forward in his chair.

"I have nothing to say to you, false King." The assassin said, seemingly disgusted by Liam's presence.

"False King? What makes you say that?"

"You are not fit to sit on our throne, nor your father before you."

Liam stood and began to slowly pace the length of the small room. He eventually stopped and sat casually on the corner of the table closest to the assassin.

"What's your name?" The assassin met Liam's gaze with a steely expression, but refused to reply.

"What's his name?" Liam looked up, directing the question toward one of his guards.

"His name is Edward Leone, Your Majesty."

"Ah, that's right. Leone." Liam clapped him on the shoulder as if he was greeting an old friend, before yanking the chair back at an angle so the two were face to face.

"Well, Edward. I'm sure you know this, but I'm afraid you failed in your assassination attempt. In fact, the only men who died that night were yours."

"We achieved the desired effect." Edward said, suddenly cocky. "The whole country is shaken, and your people doubt you as their ruler. It's only a matter of time."

"Indeed it is." The King said, before standing and beginning to make his way out of the room.

"Your Majesty?" Edward said just as Liam placed his hand on the door's handle. Liam turned, eyebrow raised, and looked at the assassin.

"Give my best to Duchess India and her commoner boyfriend... I hear his memory is failing him as of late."

Liam was shocked into silence for a moment, unsure of how Edward could possibly know about Drake's condition. The thought that one of his own men could be betraying him was unbearable. Liam pounced forward and punched Edward square in the jaw, sending him flying back onto the floor with a crash.

"Get him back to maximum security, and from now on he's only watched by guards that I approve of personally." Liam said to his guards. They nodded in assent before hauling Edward up and out of the interrogation room. King Liam stood alone and unmoving in the middle of the room, with tears stinging at the back of his eyes. He knew that he had to stay strong for appearance's sakes, especially with the country so on edge. He took a minute to compose himself, and walked out of the prison with his head held high.

As soon as he arrived back at the palace, Liam made his way up the grand staircase and found himself stood outside Maxwell's room. The two had hardly spent any time together as friends since the beginning of the social season, but with all the emotions whirling around in his head the King found himself needing his friend. He wished that Drake could be there with them so they could all drink together like they used to, when they were young and carefree and so much more innocent than they were now. He longed to return to those times, knowing that it was impossible.

Liam was lost in his thoughts when Maxwell emerged from his room, almost walking straight into the King who stood directly in front of the doorway.

"Liam!" Maxwell exclaimed, clearly surprised, "Uh, what are you doing outside my room?"

"Maxwell." Liam smiled weakly, "Have a drink with me, will you?"

A confused frown spread across Maxwell's face, but he agreed anyway. The two men made their way down the hall and into one of the many studies that were dotted around the palace. They sat across from each other in the dimly lit room, each nursing a glass of scotch as Liam told Maxwell what had happened at the prison.

"What a mess, Maxwell." Liam said after a while, holding his head in his hands. "What has it come to when I can't even trust my own men? Someone we know is plotting against us."

"What about Bastien? You trust him, don't you?" Maxwell asked.

"I would have trusted Bastien with my life, but ever since he went behind our backs to conspire against India... how do I know for sure?"

"We'll just have to keep our circle small, I guess." Maxwell said.

Liam nodded in agreement.

"India's hosting her first ball as a duchess tomorrow night. There's no way we can cancel it, so we'll just have to maximise security."

"Are you sure she's up to it? It's only been a fortnight since the attack, I'm not sure any of us are in the right frame of mind for a ball."

"That's exactly why we need to have one," Liam sipped his drink as he spoke, "to show our enemies that we won't back down. We need to make ourselves seen." The King nodded gracefully.

Maxwell nodded in assent. "I guess we're going to Valtoria."

* * *

The King's limousine travelled down a long gravel road, lined with tall trees that blocked out most of the sun, speeding toward India's estate in the duchy of Valtoria. As they neared the end of the road the forest gave way to acres of lush fields and lakes that stretched as far as the eye could see, and the sun shone down through the sunroof of the limo and onto the faces of those inside.

" _That's_ India's estate?!" Maxwell asked in disbelief as a grand, romantic manor became visible in the distance.

Liam nodded, "This is where she'll live as duchess of Valtoria."

"And _why_ did we not come here sooner? It's like something straight out of a fairy tale." Maxwell grinned, looking around at the others in the car.

"Speaking of, why did India not travel with us? Is she here already?" Hana asked.

"Yes, she arrived yesterday to familiarise herself with the estate and to make final preparations for the ball." Liam replied.

"Is she safe here by herself?" Drake interjected. They were the first words he had spoken the entire ride to the estate, and everyone seemed a little surprised to hear his voice, as if they had forgotten he was there.

"Very safe," Bertrand said reassuringly. "Liam has seen to it that India has maximum security detail in her estate twenty-four seven, all of whom have been personally approved by the Crown."

Drake nodded and resumed his silence, leaning back to look out of the window as they rolled up to the estate. The driver hopped out of the front seat as soon as the car came to a stop, bowing his head as he opened the passenger door for King Liam to step out, followed by the rest of the group. Maxwell ran to the back of the limo and popped open the trunk, pulling out Drake's wheelchair and helping him into it. The group walked toward the entrance of the manor, and right on cue, India stepped out of the front door to greet them. She wore a vintage blue and white striped sundress that billowed in the wind as she ran excitedly toward her friends. Drake couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked.

"I'm so glad you're all here!" She beamed as she hugged her friends one by one. "And I'm so pleased you're out of hospital, Drake."

"Me too." Drake smiled warmly up at India.

"This place is absolutely gorgeous." Hana said, walking side-by-side with India as they all made their way inside. The grand hall opened up around them, the walls adorned with tapestries displaying the house sigil; a phoenix with its wings proudly outstretched. Above India's throne was a golden phoenix, displaying a banner that read the words _'Forged In Fire'_. The whole room felt elegant, yet confident and proud. India spent the next hour showing her friends around her new home, excitedly roaming the halls of the modest estate and showing them everything she had explored over the last twenty-four hours. She showed each of them to their guest rooms; the employees - India had refused to call them servants - of the house having already moved everyone's luggage into the suites. The last room they arrived at was Drake's, having dropped everyone else off in their own rooms on the way. India unlocked the door with her master key, holding it open for Drake as he wheeled his way inside.

"This is nice." He smirked.

India knew that Drake had never cared about fancy suites; as long as he had a bed, a shower and a bar he would always be happy. It felt strange that India and Drake would be sleeping in separate rooms, but at least they were comfortable in each other's presence. After spending the evening together on India's birthday, they had seen each other a few times since and decided that they would be friends. She would be happy to be Drake's friend, if nothing else, while he recovered.

"I wasn't sure if you would be allowed to drink yet, but I made sure the minibar was fully stocked with whiskey just in case." India grinned.

Drake smiled at her gratefully. He was about to open his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a gentle knock at the door. India raised her eyebrow at Drake in obvious confusion.

"Come in." She said loudly.

"Ah, Duchess India, there you are!" Justin, India's former press secretary, said as he entered the room. "And Drake Walker! What a pleasure to see you both."

"Justin!" India rushed over to hug him, "How are you feeling? I'm so sorry you got hurt in the attack."

"Oh, I'm fine. It'll take more than a scratch to bring this guy down." Justin grinned, pointing his thumbs toward himself enthusiastically.

"It's great to see you," India smiled, "but I didn't think you were coming to the ball?"

"Did Madeleine not tell you? Her grandfather passed away recently, so she's busy meeting with his lawyers at her estate. She asked me to come in her place and make sure everything runs smoothly."

"No, I haven't heard anything from her recently. I had no idea about her grandfather."

"I heard they were close, I'm sure she'll be back on top form after she's had time to grieve." Justin said in a comforting voice. India nodded understandingly.

"Well, thank you for saving the day on such short notice." She said.

"Don't mention it. I'll leave you two alone, I just wanted to stop by and say hello." Justin flashed the pair a charming smile, before making his way to the door and out of sight.

"Heh. Nice guy." Drake said once Justin was out of earshot.

A brief silence fell across the room; India and Drake glanced at each other, both searching for something to say, but neither of them could find the words.

"I guess I'll see you at the ball?" India said after a few awkward moments.

"I'll be there." Drake smiled.

"Good."

India walked to the door of Drake's room and came to a stop just short of the hallway.

"I'm really glad you're here, Drake."

"I'm glad I came."

They smiled sincerely at each other before India closed the door behind her and made her way back to her own quarters. She had dreamt about hosting her very first ball at her estate, but after everything that had happened over the last fortnight it was the very last thing she felt like doing. Despite herself, she sat down at her ornate dresser and began getting ready for the night ahead.

A few short hours later, India's guests had begun to arrive and make their way into the manor's grand ballroom. The room had been adorned with candles, bouquets of flowers atop elegant pedestals and grand centerpieces on every table. Security guards roamed around the edges of the party, watching vigilantly for any sign of trouble and doing their best to blend in with the crowds. Just as she was about to leave her room, India grabbed her phone and typed out a quick text to Madeleine.

 _Sorry to hear about your Grandfather, I hope you're doing okay. Thanks for sending Justin, everything's running smoothly! Nothing to worry about. India x_

"Are you ready to be introduced at your first ever ball?" Justin grinned as he met up with India outside her room and began walking down the hall.

"I don't think I have a choice." She laughed nervously.

"Don't be silly, you're going to be great! Here, for old times' sakes." Justin held his hand out to India, and in the center of his palm sat a small, black earpiece. She smiled at him as she plucked the device from his hand and carefully placed it inside her ear. She had used the earpiece trick several times before, and she knew that she could count on Justin to help her out of any sticky situations.

"I feel better now." India said.

"That's my girl. Now, this is my cue to leave. Good luck!" Justin squeezed India's shoulder affectionately as they stopped in front of the grand double doors that led into the ballroom, before running off to join the party from the guest entrance. India heard the crowd quieten down as the herald prepared to announce her arrival.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present - for the first time in her duchy of Valtoria - Duchess India Waters."

The doors slowly opened in unison to reveal India, looking bold and confident in a sparkling red gown, with a small silver pin that carried her phoenix sigil attached proudly to her waist. The whole crowd smiled warmly up at her as she walked out onto the balcony, down the marble stairs and to the ballroom floor.

"Go India!" Maxwell shouted from near the front of the crowd, punching his arm in the air with a grin. India couldn't help but laugh. She stepped up onto the dais at the head of the room and turned to address her guests.

"I couldn't be happier to have you all here with me tonight." She smiled proudly, "Although Cordonia has faced trying times recently, we must remember that we are always stronger together. We must show anyone who would oppose us that we will not be easily beaten, that we are truly forged in fire, and that we will always rise from the ashes. I know that I don't come from Cordonia, but over the last year I have learned to love her and now I think of her as my home. I hope that you're all willing to let me serve this duchy, and this country, and do them both justice."

The room burst into applause as soon as India was finished speaking, several guests even wiping away emotional tears with handkerchiefs. It was clear that even the toughest critics, after a year of watching India learn and grow into a woman deserving of being a duchess, had come to trust and respect her. After a long, enthusiastic applause the guests slowly went back to their champagne and dancing, and King Liam walked excitedly up to India as she made her way down from the dais. He placed a gentle hand on the small of her back and leant in close for her to hear over the swelling music.

"That was _amazing_ , India! I've never known anyone to rally a crowd like you do." He said with an enormous grin.

"Looks like you don't even need that earpiece after all!" Justin interjected as he approached the pair, "That's the hardest part done, I guarantee it's all plain sailing from here."

"I really hope so." India laughed.

She turned her head and immediately her jaw dropped in surprise as her gaze fell upon Drake. He approached the group, his wheelchair nowhere to be seen, walking slightly uncomfortably with the aid of two crutches.

"Ahem, King Liam, it would be my pleasure if you'd join me for a drink." Justin said, bowing to the King with a mischievous smirk.

"Ah, of course! I'm sure I saw a waiter carrying drinks in... that general direction." Liam said, pointing away from Drake and India. The two men laughed light-heartedly as they left the pair alone and went in search of drinks.

"Drake! You're not in your wheelchair?" India asked, clearly stunned.

"No. I can't stand the damned thing." Drake said as he stopped in front of her, leaning on his crutches for support.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just glad to be out of the chair." He smirked, gazing around the room, "It's a nice party, I'm impressed."

"Really? I know you couldn't normally care less about noble parties."

"You got me there. It's not so much the party, just the people. Most of them, at least." Drake laughed, and soon India joined in.

"Well, believe it or not there are still parts of this house you didn't see earlier, if you want to go somewhere quieter." She said.

"Seriously? How big is this place?"

"A lot smaller than the palace. I'm talking about the balcony that overlooks the lake - it's gorgeous up there, _and_ as far as I'm aware there'll be no nobles to bother you."

"How can I turn down an offer that good?" Drake laughed, "Lead the way, Your Grace."

India shot Drake an annoyed smirk at being addressed so formally, but held her tongue and walked slowly with him, outside the ballroom and up to the romantic balcony just outside their suites. The walls were lined with vines and flowers, and overhead there were strings of warm fairy lights that illuminated the small space.

"This is _much_ better." Drake smiled, sitting down on a plush loveseat and resting his crutches against the wall.

"I thought you might prefer it up here." India laughed. She sat down next to Drake and leant over to a small table that held a bottle of whiskey and two glasses, pouring out a double serving for each of them.

"Thank you," Drake said, "Cheers." They clinked their glasses together and each took a sip, gazing across the vast acres that made up India's estate.

"You look great, by the way." Drake said shyly after a moment.

"Thank you, so do you." India smiled, feeling the butterflies in her stomach as if Drake was her schoolgirl crush. It felt silly and childish, but she couldn't help herself.

"So, what will you do now you're recovering?" She asked with genuine curiosity. As much as it hurt her, she forced herself to act as though the old Drake wasn't coming back. That this new Drake, the Drake that in his mind had only met India two weeks ago, was the one that would be filling his place from now on. Even though it was still possible that his memory would return, it felt more unlikely with every passing second, and India couldn't bear anymore heartache.

"When I get my strength back I was thinking about joining the King's Guard. I want to help protect the country, and get back at whoever caused this mess."

"I think that would suit you. You've always been tough." India laughed.

Drake looked at India, and he was able to see the sadness in her eyes even as she laughed. He could see how much she was hurting inside, and he felt awful.

"I want you in my life, India... if that's what you want." He said nervously before taking a swig of his whiskey.

"Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way."

"And, I know that these past few weeks have been awful for all of us, but, well..." The pair looked into each other's eyes, and felt a sincere, electric chemistry between them.

Slowly, and almost without knowing, they leaned in closer until their lips were only inches apart.

"I'm starting to see why I liked you so much in the first place." Drake said, his voice almost a whisper.

India grinned, unable to believe that she and Drake were finally going to share their first kiss since the accident, when an unbelievably high-pitched screeching noise pierced her eardrums and sent searing pain through her head. She screamed and immediately keeled over, hands clutching her head, trying to find the source of the pain.

"India!" Drake was confused and helpless as he grabbed her by the shoulders, "What's happening?"

She tried to reply, but found it impossible to speak through the burning pain. All she could do was lay back on the chair and let the pain wash over her, dropping in and out of consciousness every few seconds.

"Justin! Call an ambulance, something's wrong with India!" Drake shouted desperately as Justin appeared at the end of the balcony. He was surprisingly calm as he approached the couple, his hands resting casually behind his back.

"What are you doing? I said call someone!" Drake persisted.

Justin moved his hands from behind his back and pointed a revolver directly at Drake's head as India passed out from the pain once again.

"If you want India to live, you'll shut up and do as I say." Justin's voice was suddenly cold and menacing. He smirked, watching Drake's face drop as he came to the realisation that Justin was behind the attacks.

"That's right, Drake. Don't try to be a hero this time, eh? I'm a much better shot than that stupid so-called assassin, and I won't be kind enough to let you walk away."

Drake cradled India in his arms as several masked accomplices surrounded them, bounding and gagging them before dragging them away into the night.


	8. Reckoning

India's party guests watched in horror as every single member of the 30-strong security team fell to their knees, clutching their heads and screaming in agony. Even Mara - India's own personal security guard - lay on the marble floor, on the brink of consciousness from the unbearable pain that seared in her head.

"Everybody out, now!" King Liam shouted to all of the guests, who immediately began crowding toward the exit.

"What on earth is happening?" Hana screamed as she rushed over to help Mara.

Liam stood, watching his friends move in slow-motion, silently anticipating the attack that was to come. He knew he should run; grab as many people as he could and get them out as fast as possible, but he couldn't. He could only stand and wait for the explosion, or the bullets that would inevitably rain down on him.

But they didn't.

"Why is nothing happening?" The King said to Maxwell, who was knelt at Bastien's side, trying helplessly to find the source of the pain.

"What?" Maxwell asked, looking up at Liam with a confused exasperation.

"Why would anyone take out our security forces unless they were planning an attack? It doesn't make sense."

Maxwell glanced up to the ceiling for a moment, clearly deep in thought.

"What if this is a distraction?"

"A distraction? For what?" Liam looked around the room, wondering what anyone could possibly have to gain from this. His face went deathly pale as the realisation hit him.

"Where's India? Where's Drake?" He shouted. Before anyone could reply he was sprinting toward the estate's gardens, screaming his friends' names into the night.

Liam's face dropped as he reached the balcony where Drake and India had been only minutes earlier, immediately spotting India's phone on the floor surrounded by a small pool of blood. He grabbed the beeping phone and opened it to find an unread message from Madeleine.

 _My grandfather is perfectly well, thank you very much. Justin said you personally requested him to attend the ball as your press secretary. M_

"My God, what happened?" Hana gasped as she approached Liam on the balcony, pointing to the bloodied stone floor.

"I think Justin kidnapped them, Hana. The bastard kidnapped them."

" _Justin_? Charming press secretary Justin?" She said in disbelief.

"He told India that Madeleine wasn't coming tonight because her grandfather died, but Madeliene just texted to say her grandfather is fine, and Justin gave her the night off. Why would he lie to both of them to get himself here?"

Liam looked down to see a tiny black device in Hana's hand.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Mara's earpiece... as soon as I removed it from her ear the pain stopped. Whoever's behind this used these to take down our security."

"Justin gave India an earpiece exactly like this." Liam said as he plucked the earpiece from Hana's hand, clenching it so furiously it broke in his palm. "That's all the evidence I need, Hana. Justin did this."

"Well, what do we do now?" Hana asked, "The earpieces seem to have been de-activated, but most of our security are still incapacitated. The ambulances should be arriving any second."

"I guess we'll have to find them ourselves. Me, you, Bertrand and Maxwell. I don't trust anyone else right now."

Hana nodded purposefully, and the two of them hurried back down to the ballroom to find Bertrand and Maxwell.

* * *

Drake's eyes opened slowly. His head was pounding, still sore from being hit and grabbed by Justin and his henchmen. He could barely see past his own fingers - wherever he was it was dark, almost pitch black, and the floor was uncomfortably damp.

"Welcome back, Drake. It's nice of you to join us." Justin said from somewhere in the room; his once friendly and cheerful voice was suddenly cold and full of disdain. He flipped a switch in the wall that lit up the dank room, causing Drake to squint and shield his eyes for a moment. When he opened his eyes again it became clear that he was sitting in a prison cell, separated from Justin by cold metal bars and grey concrete.

"What the hell is this?" Drake scrambled to his feet, limping heavily without his crutches, and wrapped his hands around the bars of the prison cell for support.

"This is the plan," Justin smiled, "I didn't spend the last six months pretending to be some God awful press secretary for the _fantastic_ Drake Walker to foil it at the last moment."

"Screw yourself, Justin. Where's India?"

"Ah yes! That's _Duchess_ India to you - don't forget your manners." Justin whistled loudly over his shoulder, and within seconds a masked man wheeled an unconscious India into the room.

She was sat in Drake's wheelchair; her hands bound behind the chair and a gag in her mouth. Drake's face dropped as he saw her, so small and helpless and unreachable. Her face and arms were covered in small cuts and bruises from where she had fought back during their kidnapping, with small streaks of dried blood covering her wounds. Justin pulled the gag from her mouth and left the room with the masked man, locking the door behind them.

"Waters?" Drake half-whispered, his voice catching as he spoke.

All he could do was stare at her. His heart pounded and he could hear the blood rushing in his head, his feelings more intense than they had been in weeks. He clung tighter to the bars, his knees going weak, as he remembered - really _remembered -_ everything that he had forgotten about the last year of his life. He remembered the bachelor party, the court, the entire social season, and _India._

He remembered India. The stunning waitress in the green dress who showed him and his friends around New York City; the mysterious girl who travelled to Cordonia looking for true love; the girl that Drake had fallen in love with. All of the stolen glances, smiles and kisses flashed before his eyes in an instant as he truly saw her for the first time since his accident.

"INDIA!" Drake screamed, his legs giving out beneath him. His scream was desperate and loud enough that India's eyes began to flutter open. She glanced down at Drake and instantly saw the recognition in his eyes.

"I love you so much, Waters. I remember everything." He sobbed. India's mouth fell open in disbelief.

"You remember?" She asked weakly.

"I do. I'm so sorry for everything I put you through."

They were both crying then, but despite everything, India was grinning through her tears. She couldn't believe that Drake's memory had returned against all the odds. She struggled in the chair, desperate to reach out and hold Drake's hands in hers, but the more she struggled the more her wrists hurt from the restraints.

"Don't worry, Waters. We're not gonna' let Justin get away with this."

* * *

"Anton _._ " Madeleine said as she hopped into Maxwell's car, "Justin's real name is Anton."

Liam reached over and closed the passenger door behind her, and Maxwell slammed his foot down on the gas.

"How do you know that?" Liam asked.

"I found it a little suspicious when Justin told me India had requested that he attend the ball with her, especially after all the preparations I'd made and having heard nothing from India herself."

"So..." Maxwell sounded confused as he spoke from the driver's seat.

" _So,_ I did what no-one else here apparently had the sense to do. An extensive background check on Justin."

"We did a background check on Justin. We check every single one of our employees, thank you very much." Bertrand interrupted, seeming slightly offended by Madeleine's remark.

"Well _clearly_ someone dropped the ball with this one. We used face recognition technology to scan his photo and compare it to all of our documents and archives, and we found something."

Madeleine held up a picture of Justin, wearing fine clothing and standing portrait-style in front of a deep red curtain. He looked regal, dignified and proud. The others in the car gasped as they glanced at the picture.

"He's a noble?" Hana asked from the front seat, looking up from the laptop she had been furiously typing away on.

"It seems so, but that's not all." Madeleine pulled another piece of paper from behind the photo and handed it to Liam. "Once we found out who he really was, we dug a little deeper. That piece of paper is a marriage certificate between Justin and Olivia, signed by their parents twenty-three years ago."

"Surely that's not possible," Liam gasped as he scanned the paper in his hand.

"I'm afraid it is. The marriage became legally binding on Olivia's eighteenth birthday - in other words, she's been married for almost ten years without knowing."

"But why Olivia? How does marrying Olivia help Justin?" Bertrand asked.

"It turns out that the Crown may pass to a Nevrakis if Liam doesn't produce any heirs. So if Liam were to pass away without any children, Olivia would become Queen and that would make Justin her King."

"Do you think Olivia knew about this?" Maxwell said over his shoulder.

"It's possible, but I don't think so. She cares too much for Liam."

Liam hung his head ashamedly. He knew that Olivia could be cold and calculating, but he refused to believe that she would be plotting against him.

"How long have you known about this?" Liam asked Madeleine as he handed the papers back to her.

"I've been collecting information over the last couple of days, but I only learned about the marriage this afternoon. I was going to come straight to the ball, but I got an unusual text from India and I knew that Justin would get suspicious if I turned up."

"Thank you, Madeleine. Your help is invaluable." Liam smiled at her gratefully.

Madeleine looked around the car for a moment and her gaze settled on Hana.

"What is she doing?" She asked no-one in particular.

"I remembered Bastien telling me that all of our earpieces are fitted with GPS trackers, and it turns out that the ones Justin used are too. All of the serial numbers are the same except for the last two digits, so I just had to figure out which one was India's and track its location. And that's where we're headed." Hana said without looking up from her computer.

"Hell yeah Hana! How impressive is she?" Maxwell beamed as he harshly rounded a corner and almost hit a lamp post. "Sorry folks, hope everyone's got their belts on."

"How on earth do you know how to do all of that?" Bertrand asked. In all the time any of them had known Hana, she had never let slip any knowledge of computers or hacking.

"I had to have one or two hobbies that my parents weren't privy to, for the sake of my sanity." She smirked.

"We're here." Maxwell pulled up on the side of the road, across the street from an abandoned detention centre. Half of the street lamps were broken, and the other half flickered on and off every few seconds. Around the small building there were several black SUVs, all of them seemingly empty.

"Madeleine and Bertrand, you two will stay here and keep guard. Myself, Hana and Maxwell are going inside." Liam said with wavering confidence.

"Going inside?" Bertrand scoffed in disbelief, "Liam, you are the Crown King of Cordonia, and you can't be putting yourself at risk like this. Now I suggest we simply wait for the authori-"

"You're right Bertrand. I am the King, therefore you'll do what I say. I don't care if I'm playing into Justin's hands by coming here - India and Drake are in there somewhere and I refuse to leave without them." Liam carefully opened the passenger door and stepped outside the car.

"You coming Hana? Maxwell?" He asked. In an instant the two were out of the car and by Liam's side, ready to take on their enemies together.

"Good luck, you three." Madeleine said sincerely. For the first time they could see the nervousness in her eyes, and it was clear that she was scared for them. Neither Madeleine nor Bertrand wanted to be left waiting outside while the others went to save the day, but deep down they were glad to be left in the safety of Maxwell's car.

"Thanks, Madeleine. One of you should get in touch with Bastien and Mara and tell them to get here as soon as they can." Liam nodded before he walked cautiously, alongside Hana and Maxwell, across the street and into the cover of darkness.

The three of them slipped through a fire exit at the side of the building that had been propped open with a cinder block. The halls were eerie in the low light, and it was evident that the facility had not been used for a long time.

"This is like something out of _The Walking Dead._ " Maxwell whispered just loud enough for the other two to hear.

"Not helpful, Maxwell." Hana replied.

They rounded a corner and immediately stopped short. At the end of the hallway was a door, with bars behind the glass window and a bright light shining from inside.

"Do you think they're in there?" Maxwell pointed at the door.

"That's our best guess right now." Liam nodded and took the lead, carefully edging along the wall until he reached the large metal door.

"Here, I can pick the lock." Maxwell stepped in front of the other two and produced a small bobby pin from his jacket pocket.

"Do you even know how to pick locks, Maxwell?" Liam asked, his voice filled with doubt.

"Of course!"

Maxwell bent down in front of the door and jammed the bobby pin into the lock. He twisted and turned it relentlessly, his tongue poking out of his mouth in fierce concentration.

"Almost... there..."

The two men heard a scuffle behind them and turned around to see Hana, standing proudly over an incapacitated henchman, holding a pistol in her right hand.

"Did you just... how did you do that?" Liam gasped.

"And we thought she couldn't get any more impressive." Maxwell laughed and held his hand up to Liam for a high-five. Liam begrudgingly obliged.

"We should get in there before anyone else spots us." Hana grabbed a small set of keys from the henchman's belt and rushed toward the door. She handed Liam the pistol and began trying different keys in the lock, while Maxwell hid the unconscious body inside a dark alcove.

"A-ha!" Hana grinned as the door swung open on the fifth try. The trio hurried into the room and closed the door as quietly as possible behind them. Inside was a two-way mirror that overlooked a large cell, split into two by imposing metal bars. On the left side of the room was India, and on the right side was Drake. The wall was too thick for anyone to hear what they were saying to each other, but they were both crying - and they looked strangely happy.

"There they are!" Hana screamed. She ran forward and slammed her hands against the two-way mirror, shouting their names repeatedly, but neither of them could hear her.

"We need to get in there. Hana, give me those keys." Liam took the set of keys from Hana and began trying them in the lock of the door that separated him from his friends. He tried every key twice, but none of them fit the lock. Eventually he sank to his knees with an exasperated sigh.

"What the hell are we going to do now?" Liam asked defeatedly.

"I can shoot the lock."

Hana took the pistol from Liam's pocket and flicked off the safety. She stood, poised to shoot, with the barrel of the gun aimed at the lock of the door.

"Someone will hear you if you shoot it." Maxwell protested.

"We don't have any other options. I'd wager that Justin has the only key to this door, and if he's going to show up anyway I'd rather save them first."

Liam and Maxwell exchanged a look. They couldn't believe how far Hana had come since they first met her, and how invaluable she had proven herself to be. Liam moved out of the way of the lock and gestured for Hana to continue.

"She's right. We need to do this as quickly as possible. Fire away, Hana."

Hana braced herself for a moment; drawing in a deep breath before firing a single shot at the lock. They heard Drake and India's screams from inside the cell at the sudden gunshot noise, and with a push from Maxwell the door swung open.

"Oh my God!" India screamed as the trio ran into the cell.

"What are you guys doing here? How'd you get in?" Drake used the bars of the cell to pull himself to his feet.

"We're here to save you both!" Maxwell ran behind the wheelchair and untied India's hands. She immediately stood up and hugged her friends gratefully.

"How are we going to get Drake out of that cell?" India's face dropped when she realised they weren't out of the woods yet. But there was absolutely no way she would even entertain the idea of leaving without him, especially not now his memory had returned.

"Well, well, well." The group turned around in unison to see Justin standing in the doorway, holding a gun in his left hand. A satisfied smirk spread across his face as he stepped into the room.

"Here, India." Justin tossed a silver key to India, "Free your boyfriend. It won't matter soon anyway."

India ran to the door of Drake's cell and unlocked it. The couple embraced longingly and couldn't help but share a passionate kiss.

"King Liam, how predictable of you to take the bait like this. I knew you wouldn't be able to just sit back and let your closest friends die, but you really should have." Justin pointed the gun in his hand directly at Liam.

"Now all of you are going to die, and I'll be the new King. A much better King than you could ever be."

"I thought we were friends, you bastard." India said disgustedly.

"Sorry honey, it's not personal." Justin shrugged with a smile. He re-adjusted his aim and cocked the gun. "Apologies, Your Majesty." He said.

And he pulled the trigger.


	9. The Aftermath

The bullet seemed to travel in slow-motion through the air, heading directly for King Liam's chest. Before Liam could stop him, Maxwell launched himself into the air and shielded Liam with his body.

"Maxwell!" Drake screamed as he watched the bullet hit his friend's chest and send him crashing down to the floor. The sound of another gunshot rang into the air, and everyone looked around instinctively to see Justin falling to the ground. Hana stood, her hands trembling, holding the pistol that she had taken from Justin's henchman.  
The group crowded around Maxwell as he lay on the stone floor, surrounded by a pool of blood that continued to grow by the second. They heard the faint sound of sirens approaching in the distance.

"I can't believe you just did that, Maxwell." Liam said, tears running down his cheeks as he held Maxwell's hand reassuringly.

"I had to do something heroic today, didn't I?" Maxwell laughed weakly.

"You're going to be fine, help's coming." India said. All of them were crying, huddled around Maxwell in a circle. Drake removed his suit jacket and held it against Maxwell's wound in a vain effort to stop the heavy bleeding.

"I'm sorry I tried to kiss you, India. And I'm sorry to Bertrand for not being a better Beaumont."

"You have nothing to apologise for. You've always been the best Beaumont." India said through her tears.

"Drake..." Maxwell turned his head to face Drake, and held his friend's hand in his own, "I think you're going to have to be Bartie's fun uncle for both of us. Don't let me down." Maxwell squeezed Drake's hand with a fading smile.

"Wouldn't dream of it, buddy." Drake whispered.

Maxwell's chest rose and fell slower and slower as the seconds went by. He wiped his tears away from his eyes and glanced at each one of his best friends in turn, taking in the details of their faces, knowing what was to come.

"I've had the time of my life with all of you. I lo-" His words were interrupted by a harsh coughing fit that he couldn't stop from coming.

"I love..."

Maxwell's words failed him, and he couldn't hold on any longer.

The group sat in silence for a few solemn moments before Liam reached down and gently closed Maxwell's eyes. They held each other and cried together for what felt like an eternity, before Bastien and Mara came storming into the cell with Madeleine and Bertrand hot on their heels.

"Maxwell?" Bertrand's face dropped as he saw his friends crowded around his brother's body, " _Maxwell?!_ What happened to my brother?!" He rushed forward, pushing Hana and India out of the way in an effort to get to Maxwell. He cradled his little brother in his arms, sobbing uncontrollably as he knelt. The others could only watch in stunned silence.

The next hour passed in a blur. An ambulance crew arrived and took Justin's body away, but Bertrand wouldn't let them touch Maxwell. Not yet. It was far too soon for Bertrand to be saying goodbye to his little brother, only twenty-six years old, but at some point he would have to. At some point he would have to stand up and walk out of that room, and never see his brother again. It was too much to bear.

"I can't believe he's gone." Drake said, shaking his head angrily. He sat beside India in the open back of an ambulance, a warm woolen blanket wrapped around each of them. A doctor hovered around them; carefully checking over them and dressing each of their wounds in turn.

After a short while a second gurney was wheeled out of the building, holding a black body bag that was zipped up all the way to the top. Drake and India stared in silence as the gurney was pushed across the parking lot, Bertrand keeled over the metal railing, refusing to let go, and into an ambulance. The ambulance pulled away from the curb and drove away into the night, quietly and slowly, as if they had all the time in the world.

India leaned her head on Drake's shoulder, unable to find any words to say. They were both still crying, silently now, but they had been crying for so long that neither of them seemed to notice anymore.

* * *

It was a hot day in August. Even at nine o'clock in the morning, the sun shone bright and warm through the windows of the palace, and the maids had opened all of the patio doors to keep the occupants cool.  
 _Maxwell would be happy it's not raining,_ India thought to herself with a sad smile. It had been three weeks since Maxwell died, and everyone in the palace was getting ready to attend his funeral. Bertrand had barely left his room since that night, and although he didn't blame any of his friends for what happened, he hadn't spoken more than two words to any of them.

India grabbed her baby pink purse from the dresser that sat next to her bed, and made her way out of her bedroom. She was wearing a beautiful floral dress; she had made sure to pick out the most colourful outfit she could find, knowing that Maxwell would hate seeing all of his friends and family wearing black, and encouraged everyone else to do the same. She met up with her friends, all of them - even Drake - each wearing their own colourful outfits and trying their best to be happy.

"Where's Bertrand?" Savannah asked as she joined the group, gently carrying Bartie in her arms.

"I haven't seen him in days," Liam sighed, his brow creased with worry, "and the last time I did see him he still wasn't speaking to anyone."

Savannah shook her head sadly.

"He's been putting on a brave face in front of me and Bartie, but he won't even talk about what happened."

"He just needs time to heal. We all do." Liam said as he placed a reassuring hand on Savannah's shoulder. She smiled up at him gratefully.

"Everyone ready?" Olivia asked, looking down at her wristwatch. It was nearly half nine, and the church service would start at ten sharp. She looked up and around at all of her friends' nervous expressions, and how they were clearly _not_ ready to attend Maxwell's funeral, but smiled confidently anyway and strutted toward the waiting car.

The church was small and intimate, decorated with bouquets of white lilies and roses. Before the altar sat an expensive white coffin laden with hundreds of flowers of every colour. There were only fifty guests invited to the funeral - many of the country's nobles had expected to attend, but Drake refused to invite anyone that didn't know Maxwell personally. He hated the idea of people who barely knew him coming to mourn just for appearances, and although he never said it, Bertrand was secretly grateful.

The group passed around tissues and held hands with one another while the minister delivered the funeral service, and before long it was Bertrand's turn to speak. He cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and made his way up to the altar.

"Three weeks ago, my brother Maxwell passed away. He was twenty-six." Bertrand's voice broke as he spoke, and he paused for a moment to compose himself. "He died a hero, saving his best friends from a despicable criminal who planned to overthrow our Kingdom. He was brave and honest, and most importantly he always lived in the moment. Maxwell lived his life to the fullest every day, and I should have listened to him more often. I spent our whole lives telling him to be more serious and responsible, when I should have been trying to be more like my brother." He glanced down at the coffin with teary eyes, "I'm sorry, Maxwell. You were right, and I love you. I should have told you that more often."

Bertrand quickly stepped down from the altar and took his seat next to Savannah. She squeezed his hand and kissed him on the cheek reassuringly. Bartie bounced happily on her lap, blissfully unaware of what was going on around him.

Drake and Liam both gave their own speeches; taking it in turns to say a final, emotional goodbye to their best friend. Before long the ceremony was over, and the small crowd filtered outside to the graveyard where Maxwell would be buried. Bertrand, Liam, Drake, India, Hana and Constantine carried the coffin between them, their faces solemn and tear-stained like they had been for weeks. The coffin was set down next to the grave and slowly lowered inside by the funeral staff, and each of Maxwell's close friends took a turn dropping a rose on top of the coffin, before it was slowly covered with fine soil.

The group stood, hand-in-hand, around Maxwell's grave, long after the ceremony had officially ended and the guests had begun to leave. None of them could find any words to say that would make anything better, so they stood in silence until the winds changed and grew colder by the minute.

"I think it's time to go." King Liam said as he looked around the group. Bertrand's eyes were fixed downwards, as if he were in a trance. He looked up only when Savannah cradled his cheek in her hand.

"Bertrand, darling... it's time to leave." She smiled gently. Bertrand blinked a few times before nodding quickly.

"Of course, you're right. We must go."

"Where is everyone heading? I thought maybe we could re-visit that beer garden we found before. Maxwell loved it there." Hana said.

"That's a great idea, Hana. To the beer garden!" Liam grinned as enthusiastically as he could manage.

The King led the group back to their cars, and after a short drive they arrived at the gorgeous, rustic beer garden that they had partied in with Maxwell only a few weeks earlier. Strings of fairy lights lined the vine-covered walls, creating a cosy and warm atmosphere that they were all grateful for. Olivia, Madeleine, Kiara and Penelope arrived shortly after, each collecting a drink from the bar on their way over to the group.

"What are you guys doing here?" Drake asked, surprised at their sudden appearance.

"India texted us to meet here." Madeleine said.

"Oh lord, you don't want us here do you? We've _crashed_ Maxwell's wake!" Penelope looked around frantically, a worried frown crossing her face. Drake sighed and held up a hand to stop her.

"Don't be silly, Penelope. You were all friends with Maxwell, and he'd want us all to be together."

"Oh, thank you!" Penelope rushed forward and wrapped Drake in a hug before he could protest. When she finally pulled away, she looked around the group with teary eyes.

"I know I don't contribute much, but I just wanted to say that I love all of you. Knowing Maxwell taught me to be brave and confident, and I think that Maxwell has affected all our lives in different, wonderful ways, and he lives on in all of us."

"Hear, hear! To Maxwell!" India stood and raised her drink high above her head, and everyone else quickly followed suit.

"Thank you, Penelope. Those were lovely words." Bertrand nodded at her with tears glistening in his eyes. She quickly sat down, seemingly embarrassed to be the center of attention.

Before long mostly everyone was tipsy, chatting happily amongst themselves and sharing stories about Maxwell. India caught Drake's eye from the corner of the room, and signalled him to follow her into a private alcove.

"What is it?" Drake grinned tipsily as he cosied up to India in the small space.

"I need to tell you something, Drake." She bit her lip and glanced up at him nervously. "Do you remember the night of the first attack at the palace, before you got shot?"

"Yeah... we watched the fireworks together."

"Right. But what did we do before that?" India raised her eyebrow at her boyfriend.

His cheeks flushed red as he remembered sneaking away with India in the middle of the party, and making love to her for the very first time in her bedroom.

"Well, we..." Drake paused. He looked down at India's nervous expression, and noted the glass of orange and cranberry in her hand. She was the only person at the wake who hadn't been drinking, and suddenly everything clicked into place for Drake. His mouth hung open in shock.

"India, are you pregnant?"

She nodded.

"I found out yesterday morning. I wanted to tell you right away, but... with the funeral and everything that's happened, I just didn't get the chance." She grinned nervously.

Drake ran a trembling hand through his hair, still stunned and unable to find any words to say. After a brief moment he wrapped his arms around India and kissed her fiercely. He couldn't bring himself to stop smiling.

"I can't believe you're pregnant... you're _pregnant!_ We're having a baby!"

They were both crying again, but for once they were happy tears; the first happy tears they had cried in a long time.

"I know that you always doubt yourself and whether or not you're good enough for me, but you always have been. I can't imagine anyone else being the father of my child." India grinned up at Drake.

"I can't believe that this is my life. I keep expecting to wake up and find out that none of this is real, but it just keeps getting better. And now you're _pregnant._ "

Their friends' laughter echoed around the beer garden, and Drake's eyes suddenly lit up as he looked at India.

"Can we tell them?" He took one of her hands in his, and rested the other hand on her stomach.

"You know that the baby is miniscule at this point, right?" She laughed, "Come on, let's tell them."

Drake pumped a triumphant fist into the air and ran back out toward their friends. No-one seemed to notice them at first as they approached the group, and India stopped short, frowning sadly.

"What's wrong?" Drake looked at her with concern.

"I wish Maxwell were here. He'd be so excited for us."

"He'd try to teach our child how to open champagne bottles with a spear." Drake grinned.

"I wonder if Bertrand would be willing to carry on that tradition." India laughed.

"Hey, you two! Where'd you disappear to?" Savannah smiled over at them, cradling a sleeping Bartie in her arms.

"Oh, nowhere... but we actually have something to announce." India said, catching the attention of the rest of the group.

"Oh, you're engaged!" Penelope gasped loudly.

 _"Très excitant!"_ Kiara raised her glass to the pair.

"No, no! We're not engaged!" India laughed, waving her hands dismissively. She looked up at Drake and motioned for him to continue.

"India's pregnant." He beamed.

Everyone, even Bertrand, erupted in excited applause. They crowded Drake and India, offering hugs and handshakes and congratulating them with sincerity.

"I can't believe you two are going to be parents!" Hana squeezed India happily and planted a kiss on her cheek, "A Waters-Walker baby will be the _best_ baby ever! Besides Bartie, of course." Hana smiled sweetly at Bertrand and Savannah.

"It will be as good as it could possibly be without being a Nevrakis. And whilst being related to Drake." Olivia smirked as she sipped from her glass of wine.

"High praise," Drake said with an amused smirk.

The group retook their seats and carried on the festivities, enjoying a bittersweet evening; relishing in the happiness of India's pregnancy announcement, whilst remembering Maxwell and how he was suddenly missing from their lives. After a while, the wake began to wind down, and the bar was calling last orders.

"I just wanted to say congratulations again." Liam smiled at India as everyone began getting ready to leave.

"Thank you, Liam. It means a lot from you."

He met her eyes for a moment too long before forcing himself to look away.

"Why?"

"Well, because of everything we've been through together. It means a lot to me that you've stuck with me despite everything..."

"You'll always mean the world to me, India. I can't pretend that I don't sometimes look at Drake with jealous eyes, seeing him with you like this... and now, being the father of your child. But those moments are fleeting, and I'm sure they'll fade with time. I only want your happiness." He said with a conflicted smile.

"I want your happiness too, you deserve it more than anyone. I'm just sorry it's not with me."

"Don't worry, India. Some things just aren't meant to be..."

King Liam looked down at the beautiful woman stood before him, and thought about the baby growing inside her. Drake's baby. Behind her he could see Drake, cooing over his nephew and laughing with Savannah, and despite himself Liam couldn't help but smile,

"But I don't think there's any doubt that you and Drake are the real thing."


	10. Epilogue

_7 Months Later_

The evening breeze was cool on India's face as she walked slowly, with a protective hand against her pregnant belly, across the lush green field of Drake's family ranch. The couple had been staying in Texas for a month, after a brief stop-off in New York for India to visit all of her old friends. They were joined by Savannah and Bartie, and briefly Bertrand, before he had to return to Cordonia to manage the Beaumont estate. Drake rode his horse skillfully around the field before catching up with India, dismounting and walking in step with her.

"I still can't believe we're in Texas. I can't believe _you're_ in Texas with me." Drake grinned at his girlfriend.

"We've been here for a whole month!" She laughed.

"I know, I just... Being here with you makes me feel right," He attached his horse's long tether to a post and smiled as she began to happily eat the grass beneath her. "I don't have to worry about court, or plots against us, or damn cutlery etiquette. It's just you, me, our baby, and the ranch." He kissed India's forehead lovingly and took her hand in his.

"I know you never felt yourself at court. It almost makes me wish we didn't have to go back, seeing how happy you are here."

"I'm happiest wherever you are, Waters. But making the trip out here every once in a while doesn't hurt."

"No objections here," India smiled as she looked around at the endless fields of green and orange sky, "And to think I grew up in a concrete jungle while you got to hang out here."

"I want our baby to experience this. The real world, you know? Not just servants and luxury and pomp."

"Don't worry, our baby won't be spoiled. Not with you as their father." India kissed Drake sweetly on the cheek, "We should probably be getting inside for dinner."

"Wait a sec', Waters..." He tugged on her hand so that she was following him across the field and toward the small garden outside the house.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

After a minute of walking they arrived in the garden, that had been newly decorated with strings of fairy lights and a sprinkling of rose petals on the ground. India walked to the center of the garden and turned to look at Drake, who was already behind her, holding a small velvet box in his hands and sinking down to one knee.

"Drake..." She gasped knowingly.

"Waters. When I got shot at the palace all those months ago... I told you that if I lived through it then I'd marry you. We've been through a lifetime of challenges in the couple of years that we've known each other, and for every bad thing that's happened I can think of a million reasons why I wouldn't change any of it. All of these things that have happened have led me to you, the literal most perfect woman I've ever met, the mother of my child, and hopefully... my wife. India Waters, will you marry me?"

" _Yes!_ Of course I will!" India said through her tears. Drake immediately shot to his feet and wrapped her in a hug, kissing her excitedly.

"I am _so_ relieved you said yes." He laughed as he slid the simple yet elegant ring onto her finger.

"Was there any doubt about that?" She grinned, admiring her new engagement ring.

"Well, no. Doesn't mean proposing isn't scary!"

"Congratulations, you guys!"

India spun around and screamed with excitement at the sight of her friends standing on the porch of Drake's house. Hana, Liam and Bertrand stood with Savannah and Bianca, opening champagne and cheering in celebration.

"Oh my God! You're all here, in Texas!" India ran up the stairs of the porch to greet her friends.

"We're here for your engagement party!" Hana beamed.

"Which would've been awkward if you'd said no." Savannah said, laughing jovially as Drake shot her an unamused look, "Not that you'd ever say no to marrying my big brother."

India hugged each of them one by one as Drake joined the group on the porch.

"Look at your bump! Last time I saw you, you were what, four months pregnant? And now you look about ready to pop!" Hana grinned at the sight of India's pregnant belly.

"I still have about a month to go, but I _feel_ like I've been pregnant forever." India laughed. Drake placed a gentle hand on the side of her bump and smiled.  
"I think you look amazing."

India thanked her fiancé and kissed him sweetly on the cheek before turning to the rest of her friends.

"I remember hearing something about a party?"

"Yes, yes! Everyone follow me into the house, and let's get Drake and India's engagement party started!" Bianca grinned as she motioned for the group to follow her.

The large living room was decorated with colourful balloons and streamers, adorned with banners that read _'Congratulations!'_ , and laden with a wide variety of buffet food and drinks. It was far more modest than any party India had attended back at the palace, but the personal touches and sincere effort that Drake's mother and sister had made meant more to the couple than any fancy party.

"I hope this is okay. Funnily enough, I've never had a King visit before." Bianca said, laughing nervously.

"It's truly wonderful." Liam said, "Besides, tonight isn't about me, it's about these two." The King raised his glass of champagne toward Drake and India. Savannah handed Drake a glass of whiskey, and India a virgin daiquiri.

"To the happy couple!" The rest of the room echoed as they joined in the toast.

"Now, who's for karaoke?" Bianca asked with a mischievous grin.

"Oh, Maxwell _loves_ kara-" Bertrand stopped before he could finish, a sadness crossing over him as the room went quiet. Savannah placed her hand reassuringly on his shoulder.

"Maxwell was the best at karaoke. We should do a duet for him." Hana grinned at Bertrand and held out a microphone for him. He reluctantly took it from her, gazing up at the ceiling, as if he was looking right through it and up into heaven, and quickly downed the rest of his drink.

"If we must."

Several hours later, the party was just beginning to wind down when there was a heavy knock at the front door. A tipsy Savannah looked around the room, clearly confused, before getting up to answer it.

"Oh my God! Everyone, look who's here!" Savannah made her way back into the living room, and following behind her...

"Olivia!" India gasped and jumped up to hug her friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Charming. I was invited, actually, but the damned airline sent my luggage to _Florida!_ So much for first class treatment." Olivia sighed dramatically and dropped her bags on the floor, "No matter, I'm here now. India...?"

India stared blankly ahead, a look of shock and panic crossing her face.

"Earth to India? I know you weren't expecting me, but could we hold off on the dramatics?"

India keeled over and gripped Olivia by the shoulders for support, her face contorting with pain.

"I think... I think my water just broke!"

* * *

India lay upstairs on Drake's bed, sweating all over as she faced yet another contraction. The party guests ran around the house, collecting towels and water and pillows for India to rest on.

"I'm not due for a month! It's too early!" India cried as she held Drake's hand in an iron grip.

"It's going to be okay, India. I'm here for you," Drake reassured her before turning to Bianca, "Are we not going to the hospital?"

"Hospital's over an hour away, and this baby is coming faster than anyone expected. I'm sorry, but India's giving birth right here."

India pulled Drake closer and rested her forehead against his. The couple stared intensely into each other's eyes, each of them filled with an immense fear at what was to come.

"Drake... I can't do this. I'm not ready."

"You're the strongest person I've ever met, Waters. This is terrifying, I know, but if anyone can do this... it's you."

"Come on, India! Release your inner Nevrakis. Fight through the pain!" Olivia said passionately.

India nodded as she leaned back and let the pain wash over her once again. Bianca looked in between India's legs, doing her best to remember the medical training she had received when she was younger.

"She's ready to push! Everyone except Drake needs to leave!"

The rest of the group filed quickly out of the bedroom, wishing India good luck as they left. After a few moments it was just India, Drake and Bianca, preparing to welcome the baby into the world.

"This is going to hurt, but I can tell you're a tough cookie. Just push with everything you've got when I tell you to, and your baby will be here before you know it."

Drake smiled gratefully at his mother, before wrapping his arm around India and helping to relax her breathing. From outside the bedroom, Bertrand, Liam, Hana, Savannah and Olivia sat nervously waiting for an update. They could hear India's pained screams, and Drake and Bianca trying to console her. The screams got louder and louder with every passing minute, until suddenly, after a while, they stopped. Everyone was on the edge of their seats as time began to pass in complete silence, until a baby's cry echoed through the halls. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"The baby's here," Drake grinned, fresh tears glistening in his eyes, as he opened the bedroom door several minutes later. Everyone cheered and clapped, rising to their feet and stepping toward the bedroom door.

"Actually, we'd like Bertrand to come in alone for a minute... if that's okay." Drake said, looking directly at Bertrand and no-one else.

" _Me?_ Are you sure?"

Drake nodded, and Bertrand followed him into the room. India sat in the bed, propped up by several pillows, holding a small bundle gently in her arms. She was sweaty and dishevelled, but she was smiling wider than Bertrand had ever seen. Bianca sat on a chair next to India, her cheeks wet with tears as she glanced lovingly at her grandchild.

"My sincerest congratulations, both of you." Bertrand bowed respectfully.

"Bertrand... we wanted you to be the first of our friends to meet our son," India glanced up at Drake, and he nodded his head with a warm smile.

"His name is George... George Maxwell Walker."

Bertrand's eyes went wide, and immediately they were filled with tears. His words failed him as Drake gently lifted George from India's arms, and carried him slowly over to Bertrand. He took the baby carefully from Drake, and couldn't help but sob as he looked down at the sleeping newborn. He didn't get to hold his own son until he was a year old, but holding India and Drake's son, named after his little brother, was a very close second.

"I don't... I can't... I can't thank you enough. You honour me, and you honour Maxwell."

"We miss him so much, Bertrand. Not a day goes by that we don't think about him. Naming our son after Maxwell felt like the only logical thing to do. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him." India said.

Bertrand handed George back to Drake and plucked a handkerchief from his jacket pocket to wipe his tears.

"My brother would be so proud. Asking you to come to Cordonia was the best thing he ever did. And Drake..." Bertrand glanced over at Drake, holding his newborn son protectively in his arms. Drake looked terrified, as you would expect from a new father, but more content than ever. "Fatherhood suits you already. You're... you're going to be a wonderful parent."

"Thanks, Bertrand. That means a lot." Drake said sincerely.

Drake and India invited the rest of their friends into the room, proudly showing off their son for the first time.

"Where's my nephew? Oh, just look at him! Is that not the sight of perfection?" Savannah wiped away happy tears as she held her nephew and kissed him on the forehead.

"He's absolutely _gorgeous_! He even has Drake's nose!" Hana cooed.

"And he does! Poor little fella', he gets India as his mother and inherits all of Drake's features." Olivia smirked before glancing warmly at Drake, "Of course I'm kidding. You know I never much cared for you, but today I'll make an exception. George is beautiful."

"Thanks, Olivia." Drake smirked.

"Of course he's perfect, with these two as his parents." Liam smiled and shook Drake's hand enthusiastically, before clapping him on the back, "Drake, you've been my best friend my entire life, and I'm so honoured to be here for the birth of your first child. India, every single one of us here is better from knowing you, and I have no doubts that you'll be the best mother George could hope for."

"Thank you Liam. Thanks to all of you, we love you all so much, and we want all of you to be big parts of George's life." India smiled.

"I would be more than happy to teach him some classic Nevrakis combat skills." Olivia smirked devilishly from the corner of the room.

"Yeah, maybe hold off on that for a few years at least." Drake laughed.

"Alright, I think it's time we give these two some privacy with their son." Bianca smiled as she stood up, ushering everyone out of the room, leaving just Drake, India and George.

Drake walked to the balcony doors on the far side of the room and pushed them open, letting a cool breeze into the room and giving India a perfect view of the moon and stars outside. He kicked off his shoes and climbed into bed with his fiancée and son. They took turns holding him, each of them more overwhelmed by his delicacy and beauty as the minutes went on. Drake wrapped an arm around India as she held George to her chest, and kissed the top of her head lovingly.

"Do you remember the night Tariq tried to kiss you at Applewood Manor, and I stopped him?" He asked her suddenly.

"Of course... why do you ask?"

"I think that was the night that I first really, truly realised how I felt about you. I'd suspected it for a while, but I was never really sure until that night. I just remember sitting there, shirtless, with you checking me over... all I could think was how stupid I was for letting myself fall for you, and how this would never amount to anything because you were way too good for me."

India smirked up at Drake as he blushed.

"My point, Waters, is... look how lucky I got!" He laughed in disbelief and squeezed her lovingly.

"I just can't believe that the grumpy guy at the back of the ballroom turned out to be the love of my life."

"Hey! I wasn't _always_ grumpy... was I?" Drake's face fell as he protested.

"Hate to break it to you, but yes, you were. Except for when we snuck away and had some alone time in secret, then you revealed yourself to be the total marshmallow you are."

"Those nights with you are what kept me going most of the time. I'd sit in my room, or my car on the train, and wonder when I'd get to steal more time with you. No matter how guilty or conflicted I felt, all you had to do was smile at me and nothing else mattered."

India smiled and kissed Drake passionately, but they were quickly interrupted by the soft cries of their son in her arms. They both looked down with immediate concern, but George was sleeping again in an instant.

"You know we could live out here, if you wanted." India said after a moment.

"What? Waters, you're a duchess. And when we get married I'll be a duke." Drake shuddered at the thought of himself becoming a duke, but it was true all the same. They would both have titles, and responsibility to the people of their duchy.

"Not permanently, just a few months out of the year. I know it'd make you happy to spend time out here, away from court. George can have the best of both worlds, and we can even visit New York every once in a while!"

Drake studied India's excited expression for a few moments before replying.

"Are you sure about this, Waters? Like, _really_ sure?"

"I am. I want us to have the life we always dreamed of together, and I think that definitely includes being somewhere like this."

"I think that sounds perfect. We can look for somewhere close by so we can be near to my mom."

"I think she'd love that." She grinned.

The two of them sat together for a little while longer, gazing out at the hundreds of stars gathered around the full moon that shone in the sky. Neither of them could quite believe how far they had come together.

"Should we see where our guests have gotten to?" India asked eventually.

"Nah, not yet. Let them occupy themselves for tonight; we have the rest of our lives to entertain guests. Right now I want to curl up with my fiancée and my son." Drake grinned as the words left his mouth, and he gently took George from India's arms to cuddle him.

"I love you, Drake Walker."

Drake looked India in the eyes, with as much longing and passion as if it were the first time. He leaned down to kiss her gently on the lips.

"I love you, Waters. Always have, always will."

The End

* * *

 _Thanks so much for reading! I've really enjoyed writing this so I hope you enjoyed reading. I love TRR and I especially love my character India and her romance with Drake, so I couldn't help but write about them. I'm so glad that they get to have a happy ending!_


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